This has been a year of research and exploration to find and strengthen my personal understanding of the “why” behind philanthropy. Going through recruitment, Alpha Delta Pi drew me in due to their love and passion for their philanthropy. The women I talked to seemed to have a great understanding of why they hosted the events and why the Ronald McDonald House Charities is important.

Fast forward to this year and being elected the Philanthropy chair. The first thing I did was sit down and do more research on RMHC. I had volunteered at the House in Des Moines, worked previous philanthropy events, and heard stories from women in our chapter affected by RMHC. This year in particular as Philanthropy Chair, I wanted to focus on the “why” behind our events, I wanted to learn more. I also wanted to be able to spread this knowledge to others.

When examining philanthropy events in general, it is extremely easy to see these events as fun events that all of our friends attend to eat some delicious food. But, it is so much more than that. Finding and realizing the “why” behind an event is something that everyone can benefit from.

To begin understanding the “why” behind our specific philanthropy we first start at the basic facts. The Ronald McDonald House Charities’ mission is “to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families.” They do this by providing Houses near hospitals where families can stay for under $10 a night, Family Rooms in hospitals where families can take a break, relax and enjoy a meal all without having to leave the hospital. RMHC also provides Care Mobiles that travel to underprivileged schools to provide dental care for children who may otherwise not get the care they need. The Ronald McDonald House Charities has 365 Houses in over 64 countries! These statistics and facts start to shape the “why” behind our events and philanthropies, but it goes much deeper than that.

To fully find the “why” behind supporting RMHC, it is so helpful to read family stories. Julie Navratil gave birth to her son, Eli, 12 weeks early in Des Moines, IA. She and her family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House from February-May while her son, born weighing just over 3 pounds, was treated for an inguinal hernia, jaundice, and other complications. Julie says that Eli’s treatment would not be possible without the Ronald McDonald House allowing them to stay close to the Blank Children’s Hospital. This is the true “why.” This story, and millions like it, are eye opening as to the huge effect RMHC has locally. Helping families stay close to their children. Allowing families to travel to get the very best care for their children. Keeping moral as high as possible during these tough times. This is the true “why” behind our philanthropy events and the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

So when one of our chapter women asks you if you want to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities by attending our event, remember the “why” behind our event- not just the food. We hope to see you all at ADPies on Tuesday, March 27th from 6-9pm to support all of the families benefiting from the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

You can read more family stories at the links below:

https://www.rmhcomaha.org/blog/category/our-families

https://www.rmhc.org/blog