Imagine for a moment that you have a sick child who requires surgery, chemotherapy, blood tests, or organ transplants…in a city far away from the one you call home.
You travel to a new place - anxious, exhausted, and with a pile of medical bills. The last thing you want to do is check into an unfamiliar (and expensive) hotel, surrounded by strangers.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona steps in at times like these and provides a “home away from home” for families who travel to Tucson for medical care. The 24,000 square foot house at Prince & Campbell has 27 bedrooms with private bathrooms. The home also has welcoming community areas - a kitchen, a reading room, a playroom, a laundry room, an outdoor play area, and a healing garden. Families with hospitalized children can stay at the house as long as needed at no cost.
RMHC also operates a Ronald McDonald Family Room at Banner Children's at Diamond Children's Medical Center. Located just steps away from the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, the Family Room provides families of hospitalized children an opportunity to refresh, rest, and reflect, without going too far from their children.
Recently, RMHC launched Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, which is a partnership with Chiricahua Community Health Centers to bring dental care to children in under-served areas of Cochise County.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona is located in central Tucson - only a few miles from the Diamond Children's Medical Center. The address is: 2155 E. Allen Rd (just east of Campbell and north of Prince).
Current volunteer positions at the Ronald McDonald House in Tucson are: House Volunteer, Driver, Family Room Volunteer, and the Chef For A Day program. See below for information about each position.
House Volunteers
House volunteers are front-and-center in providing support for families needing to stay close to the hospital overnight. Duties include keeping the house clean and organized, but also responding to guests when called upon.
Duties may include the following:
Drivers
Volunteer drivers transport families to and from local hospitals Monday – Friday, with morning & afternoon shifts at 3-hour increments each.
Family Room Volunteers
The Family Room, located on the 4th floor in Banner Children’s-Diamond Children’s Medical Center, is a chance to support families inside the hospital. This room serves all pediatric inpatient families at BCDCMC. The volunteer’s role is crucial to maintaining the friendly, caring atmosphere of the Family Room, while upholding all Family Room and hospital policies.
Duties may include the following:
Chef For A Day
You can learn more about each of these volunteer opportunities here.
Interested in volunteering at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona? The first step is to fill out a Volunteer Application - which includes demographic information, education, work experience, and a background check. You will also need to provide two references.
Volunteer shifts are generally 3 hours, but there is flexibility if you cannot commit to a 3-hour shift. That said, RMHC does ask that you commit to volunteer for at least six months.
Because many of the children in the house have a low tolerance to germs and bacteria, volunteers must be ages 12 and up. That said, younger kids can certainly participate in efforts to support the Ronald McDonald House by collecting pop tabs or organizing a wish list drive.
Send an email to Christine LaBoy at claboy@rmhctucson.org.
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