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My Experience at a Community Service Charity House

Ronald Mcdonald House Charities

RMHC - Boston Harbor

RMHC - Springfield

RMHC - Rhode Island

What is Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charity (RMHC) is a charity house with over 380 charity offices in over 64 countries whose main mission is to help families cope with a sick child by providing them free housing of 10-25 units that are close to hospitals and home-cooked meals. RMHC provides families with a home away from home and provides families with “meals of love”. Some families come locally while some internationally as patients to stay for as long as the treatment provide.

Originating from the iconic “Golden Arches” displayed prominently on the most recognized fast-food brand in the world and home to the famous “Happy Meal”. For every “Happy Meal” purchased, two cents will be donated to the RMHC. You may think that this measly amount of money couldn't possibly make a difference, however, since 1974 after the first RMHC opened in Philadelphia, PA, RMHC has received one hundred and sixty-eight million dollars from Happy Meals alone. It began as a small charity raising money for a sick hockey player's daughter and has since grown to 380 charity offices in over 64 countries.

Three core branches of this charity house are all dedicated to helping sick families targeting areas such as medical, dental, and health care. They also raise money through events such as charity runs/walks and local pop-ups. As stated on their website, the mission of RMHC is to “create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families,” as no family should have to deal with their child's medical crisis alone. I am thankful that I chose to be a part of this program that supports families through their toughest times as we are all united.

01 - My role

What do I do

When my mom and I first learned about this charity house from a close friend, we were deeply moved by its mission, as we saw stories of support for families during their toughest times. Since learning about this program during the summer, I have volunteered at several RMHC locations including Springfield, Rhode Island, and Boston Harbor. As a volunteer, my mom and I go there each weekend for three-hour shifts to cook meals for about 25 families. Although we do not donate money, we buy all of the ingredients out of our own pockets also as a way to show our support toward this charity house. Each time, we try to cook meals with nutritious values so the families won’t be eating unhealthy food every single day. After cooking, we either serve the food in individual containers we then deliver to each family unit or a buffet style. At the Boston Harbor location, we ration out the large batches of meals into containers that we later take and deliver them to each family unit.

02 - My Mission

My experience and stories

My mission at RMHC is to uplift the spirit of the families so they have support and happiness in these rough times. My most memorable experiences at RMHC are forming connections with the patients. One especially memorable conversation was one that I had in the Rhode Island location with a seven-year-old girl who had suffered a severe back injury while skiing in Colorado. While we were chatting, I asked what her favorite activity to do on a daily basis was. When she told me her favorite thing to do was drawing and playing with bright colors, this resonated with me as an artist. That day, I happened to have my iPad with me and I showed her how to play around with the drawing apps, so she could incorporate bright colors all on one singular screen. As she giggled at all the unique brush features, the variety of colors, and the creations she created, it was so heartwarming to see her eyes light up over something I consider a basic art tool. This was meaningful to me because it showed me that small actions can make a big difference in someone's life.

Salmon

One of the first dishes that my mom and I cooked was salmon and creamy mushroom at the Providence, Rhode Island location. We were told that not many volunteers choose to cook seafood such as salmon since it is expensive to buy in large quantities. However, I believe that we should be providing the patients and families with healthy and nutritious foods instead of plain meals they could get from fast food restaurants. Every time we go back to the Providence location, one parent always tells us that the salmon has been their favorite dish since she got here two months ago.

Chicken noodle soup

When my mom and I were volunteering during the winter months, we would often make a big batch of soup as the families should be able to drink something warm during these cold winter months.

Plating the food

After cooking every meal, my mom and I will plate them separately in 25 containers and line them up on the table so each family can come in and get their serving of dinner. Sometimes, we put all the food into a small cart and deliver it to each family's apartment. To me, it's always the best experience to see the smiles on their faces when they receive these meals made of love.

Creamy Chicken

One of the dishes that my mom and I cook the most is this creamy chicken recipe that is always enjoyed by the patients and is something quick and easy. As I said previously, it is important to me that patients are eating nutritious meals so my mom and I often add in a variety of side dishes. Once placed in the containers, I label them and they get sent out to the families.

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My participation in the charity walk

Apart from cooking meals, I have attended charity walks hosted by RMHC located in Providence, Rhode Island at the Brown University Stadium. I participated in the RMHC Women’s Classic on October 8, 2023, one of RMHC’s signature events that has raised $650,000 over the course of 15 years. Sponsored by Coastal 1, the charity walk/run has a 3k walk (the one participated in) and a 5k run that includes a health and wellness fair. I participated in this charity walk because I believe in RMHC’s mission to support families in need. Through simple events like these that spread awareness about RMHC, I see that this community is all united in struggles, and it is my privilege to have the ability to hopefully make someone's life better. Having support during a long run or walk, during times of turmoil, or during illness, community is what drives us.