It's Volunteer Appreciation Week
When April 19 - 26
Who All volunteers, past & present!
Contribution Time, talent, treasure
The Story
Every day at our House and in hospitals across South Central Ontario, our volunteers show up.
Maybe they offer to do a load of laundry in our Family Room.
Perhaps they provide a toothbrush to a parent relying on our Care Cart.
Or they simply ask, “How are you holding up?” to a family staying at our House.
These things sound small, but for a family with a child in the hospital, they can mean everything.
In celebration of International Volunteer week, we want to honour the hundreds of past and present Ronald McDonald House volunteers who make our Mission to support families possible. Serving families from more than 106 communities across the province, our volunteers aren’t just helpers, they are the heart of what we do.
A community of support
Our volunteers do far more than serve meals and stock supplies. In our Family Rooms, they offer an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on when a family member needs support. They know when to hug, when to listen, and when to sit with someone in silent support – knowing that’s exactly what they need in that moment. Many of our volunteers have their own experience with Ronald McDonald house and return because they want to pay it forward to the next family walking through our doors.
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“I burst into tears when a volunteer offered to do laundry for me in the Family Room at McMaster Children’s Hospital. I had been wearing the same clothes for days.”
Voices from across our Region
Our volunteers show up in communities across South Central Ontario, from Hamilton to Kitchener-Waterloo to St. Catharines. We’re proud to shine a light on three of them this week:
Meet Amylyn: Hamilton Care Cart volunteer
Amylyn volunteers at our Family Room at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton and also runs Care Cart shifts. While she completes many tasks during her shifts at the hospital, it’s the people she helps that keep her coming back.
“What motivates me to volunteer in the families I see along my routes with the Care Cart. Seeing their appreciation and happiness when I come along with the Cart is overwhelming.”
>>Hear more from Amylyn in her volunteer interview
Meet Tracy: Niagara Family Room and Care Cart volunteer
Tracy volunteers at our Family Room in the St. Catharine’s hospital and also runs Care Cart shifts, supporting families across the Niagara Region during their most vulnerable moments. She brings warmth to families navigating their most vulnerable moments.
>>Learn more about why Tracy volunteers her time to support families
Meet Areej: Kitchener-Waterloo Care Cart volunteer
Volunteers like Areej ensure families feel the presence and support of Ronald McDonald House at Waterloo Regional Health Network @ Midtown hospital. Areej runs Care Cart shifts – bringing comfort to families next to their child’s bedside.
>>Hear what motivates Areej in her volunteer interview
What volunteers mean to families
The impact of our volunteers is perhaps best captured in the words of the families they serve:
“Our son was a frequent flyer at McMaster for the first 4 years of his life. The Family Room volunteers in the hospital made life so much sweeter for us and our boy.” – The Morton Family from the Kitchener-Waterloo Region.
That’s exactly what our volunteers do.
They make life sweeter for families going through difficult moments. They show up, not because they have to, but because they know what it means to someone when they do.
Donate to support our families
There's No Medicine Stronger than Family
We're sharing the love for Ronald McDoanld House South Central Ontario to raise awareness about our Mission and the positive impact it has on families.
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We couldn't do the work we do without the support of our community partners.