Happy 40th Birthday, Ronald McDonald House Charities

bridge_socks_heartCool socks, huh?

Well these socks are bringing awareness to the Ronald McDonald House Charities 40th Anniversary Celebration. Instead of asking for gifts, however, RMHC is in gifting mode. As a matter of fact, they’ve even made a website specifically for this- www.40yearsofgiving.org. To celebrate 40 years, RMHC will be awarding 40 local Indiana charities grants of up to $4000. The right organization will be in the business of helping children, and be located in one of the eligible counties (see website). Have the most perfect, deserving organization in mind? Go nominate them today!

Here in Indianapolis, anyone who’s ever been to Riley Hospital for Children has seen first hand the good work that RMHC does everyday. We’ve spent some time at Riley, and I have to say, their impact is immense.

Picture this: A mom and her younger child are waiting in the surgical waiting room in the wee hours of the morning. Her parents join them after the sun is up, and ask her how her trip in was. She tells them it was fine- they left at 4:30am to make to check in at 6:30am. Over the course of the time we were in the waiting room together, I leaned a lot about this family.

The daughter was having a complicated, 6 hour surgery

The in-hospital recovery was expected to be at least four weeks.

The family lived an hour and a half away from the hospital.

The mom had two weeks of vacation time left.

She was waiting for a call from the Ronald McDonald House. If she could get a room there, then she’d be able to stay close to her daughter.

It put any and all trials we were facing in perspective. While we were there, she got the call. She and her son got a room, and a home base for her daughter’s recovery.

Ever since that day, I’ve always tossed my change in the donation box at McDonald’s.

 

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