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Family Embellishment

Get Involved at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Indiana

Give your time, your talents, and a friendly face to families with sick children.
Become a recurring volunteer, bring your service group, serve a meal, and more.

Every House Has a Foundation. For Us, it’s Our Volunteers.

Volunteers are at the heart of our mission. They help create a warm, welcoming environment for families—from greeting guests and supporting daily operations to preparing and serving nutritious meals. Their time and compassion make it possible for families to stay close, rest, and heal together.

Individual volunteers must be at least 18 years old and commit to one shift every other week for a minimum of six months. Service and Meal Group opportunities are perfect for small groups looking to make a meaningful impact, whether through a one-time experience or an ongoing partnership.

 Learn More About Our Volunteer Roles and Opportunities  Volgistics Login for Current Volunteers
Get Cooking with Meals that Heal

Prepare a Meal Today. Make a Difference that Lasts a Lifetime.

We believe in the power of a nourishing meal to bring comfort and warmth to families during challenging times. We invite you to join us in creating these special moments by volunteering to prepare and serve meals for our guest families. We welcome groups on both one-time and a recurring basis.

Food is love. Let’s talk about how you and your group can show that love.

Get Cooking with Meals that Heal

Making an Impact as an Individual Volunteer

Individual volunteers must be 18 years or older and make a minimum commitment of volunteering one shift every other week for six months. Shifts are between one-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours Sunday through Saturday between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm. We have a variety of individual opportunities and job types- read more in detail in the ‘Roles’ section of the ‘Roles and Opportunities’ page.

Individual Volunteers Are Needed In

  • Guest Services – Volunteers support operations at the front desk and maintain minor cleaning, maintenance, or restocking tasks throughout the House or Family Rooms at Riley Children’s Health.
  • Culinary Crew – Assist our culinary team by caring for our community kitchens, stocking pantries, assisting meal groups, and serving home-cooked meals for guest families during lunch and dinner. This role includes preparing, serving, and cleaning up after meals at our House or in the First Floor Family Room at Riley Children’s Health.

What to Expect:

Our onboarding process for individual volunteers includes:

  • an application
  • interview
  • background check
  • virtual orientation
  • and hands-on training

This ensures you feel confident in your role and that families receive consistent, compassionate support. Please note we are unable to accommodate court-appointed community service hours.

Want to get involved as an individual, ongoing volunteer? Apply below to get started. Learn More About Our Volunteer Roles and OpportunitiesApply to become a Regular Service Volunteer

Support the House as a Team!

Dozens of service groups visit the Ronald McDonald House of Central Indiana annually to provide the rest, relief, and resources families need to focus on the healing of their sick child. Service Groups support our mission through various tasks, including donation sorting, housekeeping tasks, community space inventory, Healthy Snack Assembly, and more!

In coordination with our staff and family needs:

  • Service Group opportunities are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10 am -12 pm or from 1 pm to 3 pm.
  • We can accommodate up to ten people per group

Interested in learning more and scheduling an opportunity for your team? Get in touch with our Volunteer Manager, Arielle Hirt.

How Your Talents Make a Real Difference

Not sure how you can help families heal together? There are a lot of ways to get involved. Find the one that works best for you.

Host a Fundraiser

You can be a hero for the House! Start a fundraiser today and help us keep families together. Your efforts help provide more than 18,000 overnight stays for families every year.

Collect Pop Tabs

Pop tabs are fun and easy to collect, and can generate much-needed funds to support the house. Schools, families, youth groups, and more can help provide thousands of dollars for families in need.

Host a Wishlist Drive

Our families always have needs for the basics: snacks, household supplies, and groceries! Your church, social club, or school can gather much needed supplies and make a huge impact.

Volunteer

By listening, nurturing, and by simply being there, you can volunteer to help support the parents and family members who stay with us while their children receive treatment at Indianapolis-area hospitals.

Serve a Meal that Heals

A simple meal can go a long way. It helps families take a break, find comfort, and connect with one another. You can be part of that special connection by hosting a meal!

"Thank you so much for the kindness and hospitality you showed our family during a recent stay. It was such a relief to not have to worry about accommodations which allowed us to focus on our son's recovery"

The Cahillane Family

Your Contributions Help Support Our Mission

We are very grateful for our Corporate and Community Partners.

To sustain our mission, we need support from community members, sponsors, foundations, service organizations, schools, churches, and corporate partners of all kinds.

We depend on the entire central Indiana community and greatly value the wide range of support for our very important mission.

Become a Partner or Sponsor

Don’t Have Time Right Now? Donate To Make a Difference

Everyone is busy these days. If you want to help families heal together now, consider making a donation. Everything helps keep families near their children. 

Make a Donation