Meals from the heart

A group of 20 employees and service users celebrated International Day of People with Disability in a very special way.

As part of the ‘Meals from the Heart’ program, the group volunteered their time at Ronald McDonald House Charities Australia. The team cooked a delicious dinner for the seriously ill children and their families staying at Ronald McDonald Houses in Randwick and Westmead.

The two teams arrived late in the afternoon to prepare the food for 30-40 families. Jobs were allocated according to people’s skills and interests. There were even some decorations around the dining rooms to brighten the mood.

Once the meal was prepared the cooks sat down, chatted and shared a meal with the families. After dinner, our volunteers were treated to a talk from a Ronald McDonald House volunteer about their history and the support they provide to families of ill children. Feeling very inspired, some of our volunteers registered their interest in volunteering at Ronald McDonald House again.

“It was heartening to see families laugh, support each other and share a meal. It was also wonderful to have a great cross section of people working together”, said Rich Cabrita, Community Engagement Manager

The team worked in a challenging environment with heavy rain meaning lots of pesky leaks in the kitchen. However something which could have been difficult seemed to cause no problem at all, adding to the laughter and fun of the night. It was a great night and left everyone feeling very warm, fuzzy, happy and relaxed.