Ronald McDonald House - Our Introduction

I love to share our volunteer experiences. There are so many causes, needs and nonprofits that I often find it quite overwhelming to develop our volunteer journey. And this is coming from someone whose day-job focuses on nonprofits. There are just so many! Finding a great volunteer opportunity can be like finding the perfect pair of jeans. Difficult and frustrating. You want to make a difference and feel needed with a cause that lines up with your passion and skill set. It's a tricky match-up. But I've learned over the years that when passions align, amazing things can happen. And when they don't, it's okay to move on and keep looking. I was so excited that our dear friends, Drea and Robby, shared their volunteer passion with us at the Ronald McDonald House.

The Ronald McDonald House provides a temporary "home-away-from-home" for pediatric cancer patients and their family. 

Our volunteer experience was simple - we made dinner, served dinner, cleaned up and then enjoyed dessert and art with some amazing kiddos and their parents. Three things stick out in my mind from our volunteer experience on Saturday.

We made Greek food!

1. Words of thanks from a mother and daughter. 

2. Meeting a dad and his two kids from Bolivia.

3. An energetic football-loving kid named Carter who instantly lit up a room. 

The NYC RMH is amazing!

It was humbling meeting parents who have literally turned their lives upside down to find the best care for their kids. In addition to the emotional and financial rollercoaster, these parents have put their careers on hold and left all sense of routine. 

Our world is very broken. Sometimes I wonder why God doesn't swoop us up into Heaven, so peaceful and perfect. Then I'm reminded by scripture that He leaves us here, in this broken world, to fulfill His purpose. 

We are called to service in this broken world.

Eph 4:14, Rom. 1:6-7; 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:2, 9, 26; 7:17; Phil 3:14; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3