NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health has launched the Bedside Recreation and Arts Volunteer, or BRAVO program, bringing trained community volunteers to inpatient medical and surgical units to provide arts activities, games and health education for patients and their visitors.
The program launched Sept. 22, 2026, at South Brooklyn Health. It is operated through the hospital’s Volunteer Services Office and led by BRAVO Program Director Riana Freedman and Director of Volunteer Services Julianne Rich.
Volunteers work with nursing staff and are being recruited through local colleges and community organizations. The program is funded by the South Brooklyn Health Auxiliary.
“The BRAVO Program reflects our ongoing commitment to providing compassionate, patient-centered care that honors the total well-being of the people we serve,” said Manjinder Kaur, DNP, FACHE, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health. “By engaging patients and their visitors in creative expression, recreation and health education at the bedside, our volunteers are helping transform the hospital environment into a place of warmth, connection, and empowerment.”
BRAVO gives patients opportunities to participate in activities such as watercolor painting, origami and faux flower arrangements, as well as games and puzzles. Volunteers also provide bedside interaction for patients and visitors who may spend extended periods in the hospital.
The program includes a health education component developed with South Brooklyn Health’s Office of Patient Experience, Stroke Center, Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Pharmacy. Through interactive games and activities, volunteers share information about recognizing symptoms of stroke and heart attack and the importance of taking medications as prescribed.
The initiative adds a community volunteer component to inpatient care at a Brooklyn public hospital, giving local residents an opportunity to support patients while also helping deliver basic health information in an accessible format. The combination of recreational activities and health education allows volunteers to engage patients beyond traditional bedside visits.
South Brooklyn Health plans to continue recruiting and training volunteers as the program expands across its inpatient units.
Community members interested in joining BRAVO or learning about other volunteer opportunities can contact the hospital’s Volunteer Services Office at [email protected].
The program will continue to rely on trained volunteers working in coordination with hospital staff to provide bedside activities and educational programming.
