Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Ronald McDonald House

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks to everyone who made the Dinner Project's inaugural year so wonderful in 2010. In just a few short months, we were able to raise $4,805 for 5 amazing organizations. Thank you!

This month, we will be supporting the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, which is a temporary home for families who live too far away to commute back and forth while they seek medical care for their children in a Dallas-area hospital. I first heard about the Ronald McDonald House when fellow Dinner Project members, Dana, Stephanie, Sonya and Ginger mentioned they volunteer once a month at the House to prepare lunch for the families. I made an appointment to tour the House and immediately signed up to be part of this amazing organization.

The new House opened its doors just last year and can host 52 families, including 6 special rooms for children receiving bone marrow and organ transplants. The have playrooms, libraries, outdoor play area, laundry facilities, chapel and respite rooms among other services at the House. If you get a chance to ever stop by and take a tour of the facility, you will be amazed! I was awestruck at how it truly felt like a home, the perfect place for families to find peace after a long, stressful day of medical appointments, procedures, meetings with doctors, and worrying about the health of their children.

From firsthand experience, having a sick child is one of the worst, if not the worst feelings a parent can experience. While we count our blessings our daughter, Carly, has been relatively healthy, our little boy, Noah has experienced his share of illness. From several bouts of pneumonia, recurrent asthmatic episodes, a broken leg and two trips to the emergency room due to his peanut allergy, my husband and I are quite familiar with stress during a child's illness. I admire the courage of both the parents and children everywhere who are experiencing higher levels of medical care, illness and treatment, and am so thankful a place like the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas is a local source of support, respite and peace for them.

Please take a moment to visit their website to learn more about them, what they do and how you can help. I warmly invite you, your family and friends to my home at 7 pm on January 14, 2011 to learn about the Dinner Project and support our designated January 2011, the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.