Culture of Service: How Volunteering Brings Our Team Together
Meaningful work is rarely just about tasks and titles. It grows out of purpose, connection and a shared culture of service that extends beyond the workday. At Texas Children’s, employees across our system bring that spirit into the communities we serve — including at our campus in The Woodlands, located about 30 miles north of downtown Houston in one of the region’s fastest-growing family communities.
Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands opened in 2017 as our first hospital outside the Texas Medical Center. Since then, it has become a trusted destination for pediatric and women’s health care for families across Montgomery County and beyond. But just as important as our community outreach and presence in the neighborhoods we serve. Every year, Texas Children’s employees volunteer at beloved local traditions like the Market Street Tree Lighting, The Woodlands Township Lighting of the Doves Festival and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion’s Children’s Festival and Holly Jolly Jingle.
These events offer something more than holiday sparkle. They give employees a chance to step outside of their day-to-day roles and connect with families in a setting filled with celebration and community spirit.
Community Liaison Jenny Bailey, who helps coordinate outreach events in The Woodlands area and north Houston, says those moments are unforgettable. “Families will come up, they’ll hug them. It’s just beautiful,” she says. “I can’t tell you the number of people who come up to the tent and say Texas Children’s saved my child’s life five, 10 or even 40 years ago.”
Jenny has seen the way these heartfelt encounters stay with volunteers long after the event ends. “I think our employees just love seeing their patients outside of the clinical setting,” she reflects. “And the patients love seeing their nurses or MAs outside the clinical setting too. It’s very humbling.”
Service That Extends Beyond the Workday
For many volunteers, giving their time is a way to show families that the care they receive at Texas Children’s is part of a larger commitment to the well-being of the community. Ambulatory Services Representative Techelle Smith shares, “What motivates me to give my time outside of work is knowing that our community feels supported beyond the four walls of the hospital. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing the smiles on our little ones’ faces. It is the biggest reward.”
Physical therapist Sneha Guwalani, who often travels from Clear Lake — a Houston-area community more than an hour away — to participate in The Woodlands events, says the experience is equally meaningful for employees. “I am proud to represent Texas Children’s at these events and love the sense of community,” she says. “Many families will approach us and tell us stories and positive experiences they have had with providers at Texas Children’s. They are thankful, and it is great to hear that the work we are doing is truly valuable.”
Team connection is a major part of what keeps volunteers returning year after year. Techelle describes it simply: “Volunteering with my coworkers brings us closer. Doing it as a team makes the experience more meaningful.”
Surgery Coordinator Rosie Catalan has been volunteering since 2016 and says the camaraderie is one of her favorite parts. “Volunteering brings me so much joy,” she explains. “Being able to make a positive difference, even in small ways, truly fills my heart.” She shares that the group often makes a full day of it. “We meet for lunch before the event, then head to our event. We laugh and have fun with it while bringing joy to families.”
These employees illustrate something essential about the culture at Texas Children’s: people choose to work here because serving others comes naturally to them, and volunteering gives them another way to live that purpose.
Finding Purpose Through Service
Clinical Nurse Coordinator Jeanette McMullen says she didn’t initially volunteer outside of work, but one Texas Children’s experience changed her perspective. “All of that changed when I volunteered alongside Jenny Bailey,” she wrote. “She showed me how much fun my teammates and I could have serving alongside one another and interacting with our community.”
For Jeanette, volunteering became a reflection of personal purpose as well as professional fulfillment. “The joy you experience volunteering and seeing your direct impact just warms your heart like no other,” she shares. “I have found my passion is to serve others at work and in the community.” Jeanette captures the spirit behind these efforts in a single thought: “Putting HEART in action is more than what you do at work; it is what is within you.”
A Culture Rooted in Service
While many volunteer opportunities at Texas Children’s are seasonal, the spirit behind them and our calls to serve extend throughout the year in The Woodlands and other community campuses, the Texas Medical Center and beyond. Employees support food drives, partner with local organizations and find countless ways to uplift families both inside and outside the hospital.
This commitment isn’t required; it’s who our people are. The employees who volunteer alongside their colleagues represent the kind of team members who thrive at Texas Children’s: compassionate, community-minded and energized by opportunities to make a difference.
If meaningful work and community connection matter to you, consider joining a team where both are part of everyday life. Explore our career opportunities.
