More Ways to Volunteer

Snack Time

Our guest families always appreciate a healthy home-made snack or light meal. You won’t be actually serving your dishes, but simply providing snacks or helping us keep our refrigerators stocked with quick and easy meals for later. These guidelines will help you plan a successful experience at our “home away from home” for families with critically ill children.
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Activities Program

This program provides a much-needed lift to our House and our guest families. Quality entertainment will help alleviate stress, give the opportunity of quality time spent together not focusing on health issues, and stimulate positive, hopeful feelings. These guidelines will help to ensure your time here is productive and enjoyable.
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Theatre Volunteers

Each night at Ronald McDonald House, families can return from their long day at the hospital to find a home-cooked meal and activities to help them unwind. The Charles H. Dater Foundation Children's Theatre at Ronald McDonald House is a favorite with all our families. Here, children and families can relax and enjoy a play, a musical performance, dancers, a puppet show or even the zoo babies from the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Learn More

Ice Cream Social

This program provides a chance for our guest families to enjoy some “down time” and socialization. These guidelines will help you plan a successful social at our “home away from home” for families with critically ill children.
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Take Away Program

This program provides comfort to the House guest families who are supporting their sick children and often don’t have the time, funds or energy to prepare a quick meal before heading out for doctors’ appointments. The Take Away Program is an ideal activity for youth/teen groups. It can be prepared in your own setting and dropped off at the House anytime. These guidelines will help you plan a successful experience.
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Comfort Quilts

Each new family that comes to Ronald McDonald House receives a Welcome Bag containing a few items to make their stay a little more comfortable and make them feel special and cared for. We try to include a small toy for the child, a notepad and pen, some toiletries, and most importantly a small, hand-made quilt. These quilts can be very comforting to the children and also serve as treasured mementoes of their time spent here at our House. Your support in helping to provide a quilt would be greatly appreciated.
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Birthday in a Box

No one wants to spend their birthday away from home – or worse yet, in the hospital. Unfortunately, due to long illnesses, that is exactly what many of our families are forced to do. Your special gift of birthday party supplies will go a long towards making the day a little more special.
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Craft Packs

Some evenings we don’t have structured fun, or a child may be isolated to his/her room and feeling bored, so a ready made activity really helps pass the time and offer a little creative outlet. Imagine the smile on a child’s face when they can say "Look what I made!"
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Journals

In all the 78 rooms at Ronald McDonald House Cincinnati, our guest families will find a handmade journal containing the stories, thoughts and experiences of the families who have come before them. It may be a comfort to an overwhelmed mother to realize that another mom has been on the same journey she is just beginning. Or a father may want to pay if forward and leave behind an encouraging message for the next dad to come into his room. The journals fill up quickly and we are always in need of fresh pages to be waiting for that next family.
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Blankets

It seems like there is a new baby born to a Ronald McDonald House family almost every week! It is always an occasion for celebration. Every child is gift, but most especially when that child may be ill. Your help in providing a handmade knitted or crocheted blanket to each of our new additions would be greatly appreciated.
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Greeting Cards

Who doesn’t love receiving – or sending – greeting cards? It means someone has been thinking about you. For the families living at Ronald McDonald House, being able to keep in touch with friends and family back home is important. Sentiments expressed on a homemade card seem to make the message even more special.
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Ouch Buddies

"I’m an Ouch Buddy. Whenever you hurt, give me a squeeze, and I’ll take some of the “ouch” away.” Who wouldn’t want a little friend to hold on to when times are tough in the hospital? Ouch Buddies make the perfect companion for our kids. There is minimal sewing required, and they’re so fun to squeeze!
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Scrapbooking Kits

Although our families go through a lot of stress, there are still special memories to be made while living here at Ronald McDonald House. Our House is a special place where life-long friendships are forged, and children reach medical milestones that at one time seemed impossible. Being able to make a scrapbook page is not only a special way to hold on to the good times, but it also helps our moms relax. Our teenaged guests, and even the younger kids, enjoy scrapbooking, too!
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Tissue Packs

Every new family who comes to our House receives a welcome bag, and a pocket tissue pack is such a handy little thing to include! Your support in sewing the packs – and perhaps including the tissues – is so appreciated.
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Pretzel Bar

This program provides a chance for our guest families to enjoy some “down time” and socialization while enjoying a fun treat. These guidelines will help you plan a successful event at our “home away from home” for families with critically ill children.
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