House/Family Room Volunteers

This is one of the primary volunteer opportunities. House/Family Room Volunteers truly are the Heart of our House. After attending an orientation and training session, each House/Family Room Volunteer will spend a 4-hour shift once a week providing a supportive environment for families. Their duties include checking families into and out of the House/Family Room, conducting tours, hosting game/fun nights, baking/cooking, providing light housekeeping and helping in the office. House/Family Room Volunteers are asked to make a minimum eight month commitment.

Sharing your Skills

This group of volunteers consist of individuals, corporate teams, church groups, private businesses and social groups. Volunteers work directly with the Volunteer Coordinator matching volunteer skills with House/Family Room needs to provide a wide-range of support services. Examples include but are not limited to gardening, massage therapy, hairdressing, yoga/fitness, pet therapy, carpentry and maintenance.

Project Ideas

There are lots of ways to get involved with RMH whether it’s once a week, once a month or once in a while. We’re always open to new ideas; please get in touch with the Volunteer Coordinator to discuss how you can help. 

Meals: the kitchen is the heart of every home… Imagine being part of a wonderful program that would provide comfort directly to our families. Our Home for Dinner Program is one of the easiest ways for groups to support Ronald McDonald House. Just organize your co-workers or gather friends, neighbours or club members and prepare a meal that can feed up to 40 people. You can purchase the ingredients and prepare the meal here at the House or perhaps you’d like to prepare it in your own home and bring it in. This can be a great team building initiative for your company while providing a wonderful service for our families. At the end of a very long day at the IWK, it is true Maritime hospitality when these families come home to a home cooked meal.      

Frozen Casseroles: providing a frozen casserole is another way to feed our families at your convenience.  Simply freeze and label casserole with date, ingredients and baking instructions. Families can pop them in the oven when they are too tired to cook.

Housekeeping: our House is always in need of a deep cleaning. Assist with a good scrub down of our common areas or a bedroom. 

Maintenance/yard work: offering your services to paint or do odd jobs helps to keep our House fresh, clean and safe for our families. Or help with yard clean up in the spring and fall.

Wish List: download a copy of our Wish List and Hero Packs. This is a great way to organize a group or individual donation of food, gifts or supplies to the House. 

Hold a Fundraiser: organizations, schools and clubs can designate RMH as the recipient of their own fundraising event, i.e. dances, auctions, bake sales, etc.

Holiday/Special Activities: hold a toy drive, provide gift bags and Easter baskets for children and families, bake a cake for Mothers/Fathers Day, drop off Valentine’s Day treats.

Slippers: knit homemade slippers for children, teens and adults.