Opportunities From: United Way of Central Iowa

At Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa, we proudly serve families from Iowa, across the U.S., and around the world. Our pantry provides meals, sweet treats, snacks, toiletries, and other essentials for these families during their stay-and we would greatly appreciate your support!

If you’re interested in organizing a Pantry Wish List Drive or setting up a donation drive, please reach out. We can share details about the pantry and toiletry items currently needed.

If you’d prefer to donate directly from our wish list, please visit our website at www.rmhdesmoines.org. Our wish list covers items needed for both of our Ronald McDonald Houses. For donated items, we kindly ask that they be shipped to:

1441 Pleasant St
Des Moines, IA 50314

This helps ensure the right items reach the correct House location.

For questions or to arrange a drop-off time, please contact volunteer@rmhdesmoines.org or call us at 515-243-2111.

Thank you for helping us make a difference for families in need!

 

 

 

One of our greatest needs at Ronald McDonald House is for home-cooked meals for our families. After a long day at the hospital, families are truly grateful for a hot meal waiting for them. This is an ideal volunteer opportunity for groups of family, friends, corporate teams, or teens looking to fulfill community service or Silver Cord hours. We have two Houses where you can volunteer: our House near Blank Children’s Hospital and our House within MercyOne (located on the North Side, 4th Floor).

To choose a date, please visit http://www.rmhdesmoines.org, scroll down to click on "Meal Providers," then select "Sign Up Here" to access our meal provider schedule.

FAQ

How many people can participate in our group?
We limit groups to 10 people due to kitchen size. For groups larger than 10, we suggest splitting up: 10 people can cook, and the rest can assist with housekeeping.

What do we need to bring?
We provide all cooking tools and utensils. You’ll just need to bring the ingredients. You’re also welcome to use any canned or dry goods we have available. Feel free to call us to check what’s on hand. *Please keep in mind, Per RMH Global Guidelines, we cannot accept homemade food prepared outside a licensed kitchen.

How much food should we make?
Please prepare a meal for 35 people for each House. If you sign up to make a meal for both Houses we ask you make a meal for 70 people.
To keep a consistent schedule, we ask that meals be ready by 6 p.m.

What time should we arrive?
The volunteer kitchen is reserved from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. If you’d like to come earlier, please call ahead to confirm kitchen availability.

Can we stay and visit with families?
You’re welcome to stay and visit with families during the meal. However, many families return later in the evening, so we leave the meal out for an hour and then store it as leftovers.

What should we make?
Feel free to be creative and have fun with your meal! There’s no need to worry about dietary restrictions.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, please reach out to Caroline at volunteer@rmhdesmoines.org or call 515-243-2111.

Thank you for helping us support families in need!

The Ronald McDonald House is looking for dedicated volunteers to assist with our weekly housekeeping. Our team relies on weekly or biweekly House Helpers to help our families feel at home while they’re with us.

About the Role
As a House Helper, you’ll assist with various needs, including cleaning, laundry, room preparation, administrative tasks, and more. Volunteers may be asked to help with a range of tasks depending on the House’s needs during your shift, such as packing lunches, organizing donations, preparing evening meals, and supporting admissions.

If you have a specific skill, such as carpentry or event planning, please let us know-unique opportunities may be available!

Locations
MercyOne House
Located on the 4th floor at 1111 6th Ave., Des Moines. Please note that volunteers at this location must be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Blank House
Located at 1441 Pleasant Street, Des Moines, near Unity Point/Blank Children’s Hospital.

Scheduling
Both Houses are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shifts are 2-3 hours, with morning, afternoon, and evening options available.

Getting Started
All volunteers must complete a background check and attend volunteer orientation before becoming a House Helper.

If you’re interested, please fill out our application on our website or use the link below:
https://www.rmhdesmoines.org/volunteer-application

For any questions, feel free to contact volunteer@rmhdesmoines.org or 515-243-2111.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support our families!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help make our Ronald McDonald House families feel a little more at home by preparing a casserole or freezer-ready meal! Having pre-made meals ready for our families allows us to offer a comforting meal at any time. This opportunity is great for individuals, family gatherings, friends, or team-building days.

You have total freedom to make any freezer-friendly dish-traditional casseroles, pizzas, pasta dishes, soups, and more. Just keep in mind that meals should be prepared to freeze for future use.

A few important notes:
- Due to kitchen space, we ask that groups be 10 people or fewer.
- Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Please bring all necessary ingredients with you.
- All food must be prepared onsite, and any pre-made food must be factory-sealed.

Scheduling
Our volunteer kitchen is open seven days a week, with shifts as follows:

Blank Children’s Hospital Location:
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

MercyOne Location:
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to volunteer@rmhdesmoines.org or 515-243-2111.

Thank you for bringing warmth and comfort to our families through a homemade meal!

 

Everyone loves fresh-baked goodies, especially after a long day at the hospital. A wonderful way to support our families at Ronald McDonald House is to come in and bake treats like cookies, cupcakes, and other healthy snacks for them to enjoy!

This opportunity is perfect for individuals, family gatherings, friends, and team-building activities. You’ll have the freedom to bake whatever you’d like, and this is a fantastic way to volunteer any time of year!

A few things to keep in mind:
- Due to kitchen space, groups are limited to 10 people or fewer.
- Anyone under 16 must have adult supervision.
- Please bring all necessary ingredients with you.
- All food must be prepared onsite, and any pre-made items must be factory-sealed.

Scheduling
Our volunteer kitchen is open seven days a week, with shifts available as follows:Blank Children’s Hospital Location:
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

MercyOne Location:
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

To schedule a time for you or your group to bake, please reach out to volunteer@rmhdesmoines.org or call 515-243-2111.

Thank you for helping us bring warmth and comfort to our families through the joy of fresh baked treats!