6 Ways to Give a Hand to the Ronald McDonald House

Dear Diary, Did someone magically change the number of hours in a day when I  became a mother? I believe a time thief waved a wand over my schedule and stole seconds and minutes from my life. Then, the sneaky bandit left me with a list of to-do’s that I didn’t do before bedtime. I know understand the saying, a mother’s work is never done. In the beginning, I overwhelmed myself. Instead of doing a little, I did nothing out of frustration. Now, I am quite comfortable if it takes all week to clean the house. I pick up the toy room one day and sweep the floor the next and so on and so on. I leave my cluttered closet for a few hours to take my daughter to the zoo or the museum.   Now, that I am mastering multitasking, I wondered how I could give my time to others. Before I had a baby, I contributed cash and time to charity. Recently, I gave only my money. I shared my story about wanting to give back to the community with my blogging buddies Diamonte, Jacquie, Nicole and Rhonda. Then after a conversation with another mom, I decided to make time to make a difference. This video resulted! We mom blogged for a cause and toured the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Pittsburgh. We found out that it doesn’t take long to put a smile on a child’s face and raise awareness about an organization serving families.

Here’s how you can help out in a matter of minutes.

It takes only a few seconds to drop a couple of coins.  At a Conistar machine, $25 could provide dinner for a family staying at a Ronald McDonald House®; $50 could fill a Ronald McDonald Family Room® with snacks and drinks; and $85 could give a family a room for the night at a Ronald McDonald House®

It takes an hour to visit a Ronald McDonald House® with your family and read a book to a sick child. Are there any books at home your child has outgrown? Pack up a box, and make a donation!

In an evening, if you have a few dollars to drop, enjoy a night on the town with your loved one. Many moms have swapped dinning and dancing for diaper changing and late night feeding. So, this is a great way to get out of the house and help out a local charity.

In a day, you can make breakfast, lunch or dinner for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House®. Make some comfort food for families going through a rough time. It’s apple picking season, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like pie!

In a week, collect tabs from aluminum cans. You’ll help the environment and help a family at the same time! The funds generated from recycling will offset he House’s expenses.

In a month, organize a food or toiletry drive at your daycare, preschool or church. At times, families receive an urgent call from a hospital and must leave immediately.  As you can imagine, moms will focus on their children’s health and forget to pack a tube of toothpaste or a bar of soap.

Hey DFTM Fam–How do you find time to give back to your community? What types of volunteer activities do you participate in?