Get Involved
Meals that Heal
Volunteer Opportunities
Serving a Meal at the House is one of our most popular volunteer opportunities. Due to space limitations, the ideal number for meal groups is 5 volunteers, and all volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. Here are ways your group can make a difference:
Lunch Service at First Floor Family Room at Riley Children’s Health for up to 150 guests:
Prepare and Serve ($750)
We will help you select the menu and we’ll purchase the ingredients. Come with your team to prepare and serve the meal with our Culinary Program Manager.
Serve a Catered Meal ($1,000)
Choose and purchase a catered meal for our Family Room, you serve the meal you catered.
Dinner at the Ronald McDonald House on Limestone for 50 Houseguests:
Prepare and Serve a Meal (cost of ingredients)
Your group brings your own unopened ingredients and prepares a dinner for our families at the House.
Prepare and Serve a Meal ($500)
We will help you select the menu, and we’ll purchase the ingredients. Come with your team to prepare and serve the meal with our Culinary Program Manager.
Serve a Catered Meal ($750)
Don’t sweat the cooking. Your group provides and serves a catered meal to our families.
Healthy Snack Assembly at the Ronald McDonald House on Limestone:
Prepare healthy grab-and-go snacks for families at the House. You will select at least one recipe per 5 volunteers and use our shopping list to purchase all necessary ingredients before your arrival. Groups are responsible for the cost of healthy snack ingredients.
Want to provide a meal for families? Select the “Let’s Get Cooking” button below.
Volunteer to Create Home-Cooked Meals for Guests
We believe in the power of a home-cooked 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.
Food Safety
Cooking On-Site
Your group will receive pre-set menus to select from, purchase the ingredients, and prepare the meal in our fully equipped kitchen with guidance from our culinary team on how to safely prepare, cook and assemble to the food.
Donate and Serve
Our culinary team will order a catered meal with your donation and your group will come to serve the meal.
Safety Practices
Our culinary team will review all safety protocols while on site. We ask that our volunteers practice proper food safety measures, including frequent handwashing, eliminating cross-contamination/raw foods, wearing hairnets/hair ties, and gloves, etc. Additionally, all refrigerated items should stay chilled as long as possible, and food in the kitchen should always be covered.
Meal Service and Clean Up
On-Site Dining
Some families may choose to eat in their rooms depending on seating availability and their comfort level. Families often have inconsistent schedules due to patient treatments and may not be in the dining room to eat while your group is on-site. Please know that finding a freshly prepared meal waiting in the refrigerator when they return is a welcome sight.
Packing Meals
Your group will pack any leftovers in to-go containers for families to enjoy after the scheduled mealtime.
Clean-Up
Participants are responsible for thoroughly cleaning the kitchen as part of the Meals that Heal volunteer shift. Cleaning instructions will be provided by our culinary team, and all volunteers are expected to stay until clean-up is complete. and all trash is taken to the dumpster.
Volunteer Expectations
We strive to create a safe, welcoming and respectful environment for our families, staff and volunteers. As such, we expect volunteers to adhere to the following:
- Bring compassion and respect to your volunteerism.
- Follow direction of RMHCCIN staff.
- We welcome volunteers, staff and families of all backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. Please exclude any personal religious influences while on-site to ensure a welcoming space for all.
- You may take photos of your group only and must thoroughly wash your hands after taking pictures or using your phone. Please do not take photos or videos of RMHCCIN families without permission.
- Volunteers are prohibited from exchanging personal information with or soliciting services to our families.