As part of Southwest’s dedication to the Ronald McDonald House, Employees from coast to coast regularly host dinners at the Houses. Last week, the Communication & Strategic Outreach department prepared meals for over 60 families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Dallas, and a great time was had by all who participated.
After a long day at the hospital with their children, a home-cooked meal can really serve as comfort food for Ronald McDonald House families. Our volunteers prepared and baked chicken pot pies, mixed up salad fixings, and created a yummy banana pudding for dessert. They also helped set up activities and games for the children, and, in so doing, collectively volunteered more than 64 hours!
Of course, those hours will be recorded on SWALife and will then count towards Tickets for Time, which will be applied to the Dallas Ronald McDonald House. For every 40-hour contribution to a 501c3 nonprofit, that organization will receive one roundtrip ticket (up to six per calendar year) through the Tickets for Time program.
While I was cleaning up after serving dinner, I sat down at a table and talked with a mom about her son’s extensive eye surgery. He was only nine years old, and has had numerous operations. He never wants to go to the hospital (what kid does?), but he always wants to go to the Ronald McDonald House. It is, for him, a place of joy. RMH can be a place to draw encouragement, strength, and hope during a family’s journey.
To volunteer for one of these events, you don’t have to be a gourmet chef—just willing to spend a few hours with friends and Coworkers whipping up some favorite recipes, doing dishes, or visiting with the RMH families. And, when you think about the wonderful comfort, care, and support that the Ronald McDonald Houses provide families who are facing serious medical crises, it’s hard not to get involved.
