Meet Paloma Costa, Our Featured Volunteer from Washington, DC!
Get to know our volunteers!
Do you volunteer at a specific hospital? Children’s National Medical Center
How long have you been volunteering with Musicians On Call? 4 years
Are you a Volunteer Guide or Volunteer Musician? Guide
What is your occupation outside of MOC? “I’m a residential Realtor.”
What is your story? What connects you with music and why do you volunteer with MOC? “Nine years ago, on New Years Eve, I met someone whose godson was in the ICU at Children’s. Fortunate to have never had any serious illnesses or accidents, I couldn’t stop thinking about how scary it must be to be in a hospital as a child (or to have a sick child in the hospital). I began participating as a patient services volunteer, and later advisory board member, before learning about MOC. I had occasionally incorporated music while volunteering on my own, but thought it would be great to volunteer with a structured program with such a diverse group of actual musicians!”
Has your life changed because of your experience with MOC? “Participating as a guide has given me a fresh perspective on volunteering at the hospital.”
What is your favorite #MOCmoment? “Every MOC performance is special in its own way, tough to pick one!
One of most unique performances was one of my first, where we had to improvise because the keyboard the musician needed wasn’t available. We raided the volunteer toy closet and came up with some toy intruments for jam sessions with the kids. They really had a blast playing along!“
Do you want to help us deliver the healing power of music? Apply to volunteer as a guide or a musician today!