On July 3, 2019, employees of Black Gold Emergency Planners and BGGoPlan dedicated their mornings to helping the families at the Calgary Ronald McDonald House (RMH) by preparing, cooking and serving brunch for 40 people from the multiple families that are currently staying at RMH.
RMH works to provide a home-away-from-home for families with children that require hospitalization and medical attention, especially for long periods of time. There are 15 Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada, all of which are located near a main hospital. These houses provide families who live at least 45 kilometres away from the hospital with easy access to medical treatment, while giving them the feeling of being at home. RMH keeps families together during some of their most difficult times.
RMH helps to relieve families of the extra stress that can come with living with having a sick child. The houses are small, homey versions of a hotel with fully stocked kitchens and laundry facilities that provide families with the resources they need to get through another day.
The RMH program receives some funding from McDonald’s – the rest comes from fundraising and donations. Since the houses depend so heavily on both monetary and time donations, Black Gold’s contribution to the Home for Dinner program was invaluable. The Home for Dinner program allows volunteers to shop for, prepare and serve either brunch or dinner to the families that are staying in the homes. On July 3, Black Gold employees prepared breakfast sandwiches with fresh fruit and hash browns for the families to enjoy.
If you ever have the opportunity to volunteer at RMH, we highly recommend it – RMH is continuously looking for help. What may seem like a simple task to you, could be a tremendous help to a family in need.
If you wish to help the families in need at a Ronald McDonald House near you, please go to https://www.rmhcsca.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or https://www.rmhcsca.org/donate/ to donate.
