The Domestic Geek Blog

Ronald McDonald House Charities

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In the beginning of this month I headed to Chicago as a Ronald McDonald House Charity ambassador. It was an amazing couple days filled with such great people, including fellow RMHC ambassadors and wonderful bloggers: Meagan from Sunshine and Sippy Cups, Kathy from Sparkles and a Stove, Tracy from Ascending Butterfly, and Melanie from Melanie in the Middle.
I was already eternally grateful towards the Ronald McDonald House Charity after our two week stay when my daughter was born. This trip was truly life changing. I’m so glad that I had the chance to learn exactly what the RMHC does, it’s so much more than just a place to stay when your children are hospitalized. This trip was also an emotional roller coaster, I’m almost positive I wasn’t the only one holding back tears during some truly touching moments. So here’s my little recap of this incredible experience.
Our first stop was the Lurie’s Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

 

I truly hope that no one that reads this blog ever has a need to go to a Children’s Hospital, but if you have you’ll know that they are so catered to the little ones. You might expect drab walls and waiting rooms, but what you really see are splashes of color everywhere. Colorful art, aquariums, and even interactive areas make going to the doctor a task that your little ones actually enjoy. I thought the Children’s hospital that Aliceana goes to was fantastic, but it’s nothing compared to Lurie’s.

Each floor had a theme, the Dalmation floor was my favorite. This is a real cab of a fire truck (with working lights) how fun is that?

My other favorite area was an area that was made to help the children feel like they’re outdoors, since a lot of the children aren’t well enough to go outside. The area around and above is all glass windows, so they can get a feeling for what the weather is like as well.

I loved the hallway filled with art created by children.

This chapel with stained glass was gorgeous as well.
Overall, the hospital was so great to see. Most rooms had a view of gorgeous Lake Michigan or a beautiful view of the city. The Ronald McDonald House also has Family Sleep Rooms right inside the hospital for families with children in critical condition or brand new healing mother’s who can’t get around easily but need to be near their babies (I know all too well what that’s like!)

Then we were of to the The Ronald McDonald House near Lurie’s Children’s Hospital. The biggest Ronald McDonald House in the Nation, and boy was it different than the small 16 room house we stayed at after I had Aliceana!

First we talked business with Ronald McDonald House Charities President and CEO J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez. He was such a joy to talk to, you could hear the passion in his voice. We were all shocked to hear that his role as President and CEO is a volunteer position.
Here’s a group shot of the ambassadors and J.C.
Then we decorated cookies with some of the children staying at the house. (The kids did a way better job than us bloggers..)
After that we took a tour of the house. We were all blown away by the little details, like this mosaic wall on the rooftop. Absolutely gorgeous!
The next day we met with local McDonald’s Owner and Operator Nicholas Karavites. He’s so passionate about the Ronald McDonald House and even has an annual fundraiser and has raised almost $350,000 in the last 4 years. This is phenomenal, as a McDonald’s owner you don’t have an obligation to donate anything for the Ronald McDonald House Charity. It’s even by choice that restaurant owners even put out the change collection bins.

Here’s Nicholas talking to us at one of the McDonald’s stores he owns and operates.

If you live in the Chicago area you have to check out the Rock the House event, it’ll be on Friday, November 8th this year!
Here I might look slightly professional, but I guarantee I was fumbling words, I hate public speaking. I was meant to be a blogger where I can hide behind the computer and use the back space button a lot..
Then we went to another Ronald McDonald House! The Hyde Park House, oh I just love the style of this house!
At the Hyde Park house we made welcome bags for the families staying at the house. I can’t even imagine how nice it would be to receive a welcome bag when you arrive at the Ronald McDonald House! The bags included things like notebooks, pens, water bottles, granola bars, McDonald’s gift cards and crossword puzzles.

It was just a fantastic experience. I wish everyone could experience everything we got to see and do in those couple days!

Over the next year I will be talking a lot about how you can help the Ronald McDonald House Charity. Just remember to leave some change at those bins when you’re grabbing a burger at the McDonald’s drive through! If you have extra time on your hands you should really think about volunteering at the house. An hour of your time could mean the world to a family in need! Find out more at The Ronald McDonald House Charity website!

Also, follow the hashtag #RMHCvoices to hear more from myself and my fellow bloggers!