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Provide Dinner

Welcome our families back after a long day with a hot meal.

Prepare Dinner: Each evening when families return from their long hospital visits, volunteers have the opportunity to provide and serve a hot meal for them in our fully equipped kitchen. Providing dinner for the families is a chance to let them unwind and relax in a family atmosphere. Dinners are an amazing way to connect with families and make a difference in their day. This is a group volunteer opportunity.

Time Commitment: Dinner is served from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. You may arrive as early as 3:30 p.m. to begin cooking.

  • We GREATLY appreciate you visiting our house to help our children and families.
  • Dinner is served from 6:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. seven days a week.
  • Groups are responsible for bringing enough food, drinks, and paper goods to serve approximately 80 people when we have a full house. The number of meals needed depends on how many families are in the house on your date. We will confirm the minimum number of meals needed when we reach out to confirm your date.
  • Our kitchens are fully stocked with pots, pans, and any other kitchen utensils used for cooking.
  • There are no food or allergy restrictions.
  • An e-mail will be sent out about a week before your scheduled date to double check that your group is still on board to volunteer. Please confirm as soon as possible and send us your delicious menu.
  • For cancellations, please give at least 48 hours’ notice so we can make other arrangements. If you are able to order the house pizza instead, we sure would appreciate it!
  • If the group is running late, please dial 410.528.1010 ext. 0 to speak with our Guest Services Welcome team
  • Gather a group of 7-10 people. Groups should not exceed 10 people during one meal time and teenagers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
  • Choose a yummy menu and send it to Myra so she can share it with the families in hopes to get some tummies rumbling!
  • Make a flyer promoting your meal. Think PowerPoint slide! You can e-mail us a copy, and we will post it on our message boards for our families to see!
  • Determine how much time you will need on site to prepare and make sure you arrive in enough time to serve dinner by 6:00 p.m.
  • At a minimum, we ask you to be here no earlier than 3:30pm and no later than 5:00 p.m.
  • All delicious ingredients for the meal
  • All paper and plastic products – plates, cups and utensils
  • Aluminum pans to use as inserts in the warming/cooling trays
    • The wells are 10×18″, however 9×13″ size aluminum pans may also be used
  • Disposable to-go containers for leftovers
  • Park in our garage which can be accessed on Baltimore St. Pull in under the “Welcome Home” sign and ring the bell on the gooseneck – the receptionist will open the gate for you.
  • Please park on the second level, leaving spaces on the first level available for families. Parking in the garage may be limited; there is also on the street parking available in front of the house, on Aisquith St.
  • Take the elevator to the 1st floor and walk to the front desk to sign in, located just past the grand staircase to the left.
  • Grab a cart. Carts are available for easy transport of food items to and from the kitchens. Please ask our Guest Services team where they are located.
  • Group members should not open our front door for anyone who is not in their group. We ask the dinner groups who are not arriving at the same time to please have your group be responsible for letting each other into our house.
  • When dinner is ready to be served, please alert the team at the Welcome Center, and they will make an announcement to the families.
  • Groups are encouraged to eat with the families that share the house and enjoy their time here.
  • Leftovers from dinner can only be left in the free food refrigerators or freezers in individual containers.
  • Please do not leave food in the refrigerators that our families share.
  • Groups are responsible for the clean-up process in the kitchens and the removal of trash to our dumpsters.
  • Make sure to leave the house by 9:00p.m because that is when quiet time for our families begins.

Sign-up Below!

Questions?

For cancellations, confirmations, scheduling and any other concerns or inquiries please contact Myra Cheeks at mcheeks@ronaldmcdonaldhousemd.org