"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." - J.M. Barrie

Volunteers at RMHC Pittsburgh and Morgantown make an impact in so many ways, and on so many people. They bring tremendous comfort to families who are far from home, touch the hearts of the staff who witness their incredible kindness every day and even provide the volunteers themselves a sense of appreciation for the difference they're making.

On any given day when you walk into the Ronald McDonald House, you can find families gathered in the dining room sharing their days with each other while enjoying a homecooked meal or hear the sounds of children giggling and playing in the living room with the pet therapy dogs. These simple, day to day moments and more are made possible by the kindness of volunteers.

Volunteers' Impact on Staff

The bonds between volunteers and the staff of RMHC are strong. Volunteers work alongside our staff to create special experiences for families while they’re with us. It’s always fun to have extra hands—and extra energy—in the House, and our staff wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The impact volunteers make on families staying at the Charity is beyond words,” said Kara Kimble House Manager for Ronald McDonald House Morgantown. 

Providing the comforts of home, volunteers support families with warm meals, stocked pantries and extra smiles by hosting special activities like Pet Therapy and game nights. They decorate for the holidays, provide haircuts and help with special events.

“Volunteers give families peace of mind from the worry of where their next meal will be coming from and also give them a moment of relaxation and fun when they host activities for the families,” said Kara.

The holidays can be an especially hard time for families at the Charity, but with the help of volunteers, each holiday is celebrated with traditional meals, decorations and generous donations. 

“Every year, families pull me aside to let me know much they appreciate being able to go to the North Pole event and choose gifts for their children, sharing that they didn't think Santa was going to visit their family this year.” said Morgan Knox, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator for Ronald McDonald House Pittsburgh. “It fills me with so much joy and appreciation to see this event impact the parents and children on a very significant level."

No matter how volunteers choose to help at the Ronald McDonald House, their generosity gives families so much more than a place to stay but a place to call home.

Volunteers' Impact on Families

On January 11th at 3 a.m., Ashley received the call she had been waiting for - her son Luka was going to get a heart. Jumping into the car, they drove for the next two hours to get to the hospital. She held her son’s hand the whole way there.

While Luka was in surgery, her next thought was – how am I going to stay close to my child? The answer was the Ronald McDonald House.

With her other two children able to join her, she was able to be with them and Luka. Surprised by what the House had to offer, Ashley found it to be exactly what her family needed.

“There was always food and activities to keep the kids occupied,” said Ashley. “Everybody had something to do.”

Ashley describes how these things helped to make this time a peaceful experience for her family. She remembers that when they would go to get meals, the volunteers were so generous and nice.

“They would tell us to take as much as we needed,” she said.

Within two weeks of his surgery, Luka was sitting, smiling and playing with his LEGOs. Best of all, he was able to join his mom and siblings at the Ronald McDonald House.

“He was very excited to see it,” said Ashley. “He loved the cozy bed, the fun activities and the food.”

Two months after their arrival, Luka was able to go home. He is now getting physical therapy and doing very well. Never forgetting the kindness of others on this journey, Ashley looks forward to coming back to the Ronald McDonald House, but this time to volunteer and make food for the families staying there. 

Volunteers' Impact on One Another

Once a month on a Sunday evening, the volunteers from Calvary Chapel Pittsburgh arrive at the Ronald McDonald House to make families a homecooked meal.  It is something they have been doing for 15 years.

“We love it,” says Krista, one of the founders and volunteers of the meal program at the Church.

The journey to the Ronald McDonald House began when members of the Church were helping a mom whose son was getting a transplant. She would tell them about the families she met at the hospital and how many of them stayed at the Ronald McDonald House. This led Krista and other Church members to reach out to the Charity to see how they could help. From there, an amazing partnership was formed.

According to Krista, assembling the volunteers each month has never been difficult. 

 “These volunteers are amazing,” said Krista. “They want to be there and help bring this comfort to the families.”

Throughout the years, the volunteers have also found comfort in helping. One of the members shared that coming to cook each month for others has helped him with his own healing.

When the pandemic hit, the group was unable to come to the House to volunteer. So, they found a new way to ensure families had meals by supporting the meal fund. "We weren't going to give up," said Krista.

Missing the families and staff during this time, they were very excited when the restrictions were lifted, and they could return to cooking in the kitchen again.

"We were so happy to get back and see the families and staff," said Krista. "We have gotten to know the staff so well and love talking with them and the families when we are there."

Every day at the Ronald McDonald House, volunteers like those from Calvary Chapel Pittsburgh donate their time to make a difference for families who rely on the services of the Charity but find along the way that volunteering also makes a difference in their own lives.