Many of the families who come to stay at Ronald McDonald House have dropped everything to rush to John Hunter Children’s Hospital so their seriously sick or injured child can get the immediate help they need. Ronald McDonald House Newcastle continually strives to make a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of children with illness and disability, and their families – this includes providing a safe and supportive home and a nourishing, home cooked meal that is appreciated by parents and carers after a long day spent beside their child’s hospital bed.
HOW DOES MEALS FROM THE HEART WORK?
For 365 nights a year, over 600 families will sleep under the roof we’ve provided at Ronald McDonald House, Newcastle.
We created this space so we can keep families together while their seriously ill child gets the vital medical treatment they need.
The Meals from the Heart program gives teams or groups a hands-on opportunity to support the families during their time of need directly. After a tour of the house, so you can learn more about the service we offer to keep families together, we’ll provide the kitchen and cooking facilities, and you provide the food and enthusiastic chefs.
You don’t need to be a master chef in the kitchen – our families just appreciate the thought that goes into a home-cooked meal. At the end of your cook-up, we invite you to sit down in the dining room and share the meal with the families in the house and our Meals from the Heart volunteer supervisors.
HOW TO KEEP YOU AND OUR FAMILIES SAFE
After a long lockdown we are so excited to welcome you back to Newcastle House! Please be assured we have comprehensive COVID safe plans in place to keep you and our families safe.
- On the day of visiting the Program a RAT should be completed at home. If positive please phone us to reschedule your Program visit. Please bring a photo of your RAT with the date and you initials on the test.
- On arrival you will be required to check in using our QR code and show your vaccination status as all visitors must be fully vaccinated.
- All visitors to the Program will undergo Wellness Screening Questions. You will be asked - Have you got any COVID Symptoms? Have you and anyone in your household tested positive to COVID in the last 14 days? Have you been deemed a close contact in the last 14 days?
- You will be required to wear a surgical face mask at all times. This will be provided to you at reception. Please sanitise your hands as you enter.
- You will be given a short orientation by a member of our team, which will go over requirements for handwashing, hand sanitiser use, glove wearing for safe food handling and social distancing in shared spaces.
- Number limits for spaces are displayed on entry to each area. All of our spaces are well ventilated and regularly cleaned but it is still very important that number limits are followed.
THE BENEFITS FOR YOUR TEAM
Cooking a Meals from the Heart for families at Ronald McDonald House is an unforgettable team-building experience, that demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to corporate social responsibility in a meaningful way.
Bring your brand values to life by aligning your organisation with a leading children’s charity that understands the importance of providing family centred care, and drive greater employee engagement by inspiring staff, building morale and encouraging creativity.
WHAT CAN YOU COOK?
Whatever you like! With families continually coming into the house and leaving as their circumstances change, we’ll confirm catering numbers closer to the day of your booking. We usually have 50 people to cook for, plus your wonderful chefs.
When it comes to choosing the menu, remember there may be kids eating too, so basic food works better than a gourmet meal creation. Our volunteers often create a mixture of foods for dinner and dessert so that common dietary requirements are catered for. Some suggested menu items include a BBQ cooked on our outdoor BBQ, lasagne and salads, roast with veggies, Mexican night, vegetarian and meat burgers, and brownies and ice cream, pavlova or apple pie for dessert.
Please bear in mind that families in the house go back and forth between the hospital throughout the day and evening. It’s best to cook something that can be reheated in case they miss mealtime at 6pm.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
For safety reasons, please only bring children over the age of 15 to assist in the kitchen.
Corporate groups, sports teams, schools, social groups, families, friendship groups – we don’t mind! As there is a lot of preparation, cooking and cleaning involved, we encourage groups of a maximum of eight people per booking.
Many children staying at the house have suppressed immune systems due to the hospital treatment they are receiving. As such, if you or a member of your group is unwell or has come into contact with illnesses like chickenpox, measles, gastro or the common cold, we ask that you do not attend the house.
THE IMPACT YOU’LL MAKE
Providing a simple home-cooked meal makes an incredible difference for all of the families that stay at Ronald McDonald House.
Every year we welcome over 600 families into the Newcastle House, providing accommodation and support for travelling families so their child can receive medical treatment close by.
We further support families through our Family Rooms located in the John Hunter Children’s Hospital, providing a much-needed place for families to take a break from the ward. Our Learning Program offers tutoring and educational liaison for children that have missed substantial schooling because of their medical condition. Our Holiday Retreat at Forster gives families the chance to take a well-deserved break and reconnect.
Ronald McDonald House Newcastle is an independent charity that relies on community support and fundraising to deliver our mission to provide quality family centred care to hundreds of families every year.
Your time and contribution will help keep families together at a time when they need it the most.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES
We offer other hands-on ways to give back to the families at Ronald McDonald House.
Click on the Big Brekkie or Lovin’ from the Oven buttons for more information.
Connect With Us
Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern NSW
9 Griffiths Road, New Lambton, NSW Australia
(02) 4957 7783
info.nnsw@rmhc.org.au
