Monthly Meal of Love and Joy at RMHC Baltimore

  • Location
    Baltimore, Maryland
  • Status
    Complete
  • Age Level
    11 to 13 Years
    14 to 18 Years

The Problem

The problem we want to address is the lack of comfort and kids activities for families staying at RMHC (Ronald McDonald House of Charity) with seriously ill children, who often face long, emotionally challenging stays away from home while their children undergo medical treatment. By providing warm, home-cooked dinners and engaging activities, we aim to bring comfort, joy, and a sense of community to these families, offering them a break from the stresses of hospital life and an opportunity to feel cared for and connected.

Our Plan

The action we are planning is to host monthly events at RMHC Baltimore, where we will serve a warm, home-cooked dinner to families and provide engaging activities for young children. These events aim to bring comfort, joy, and a sense of community to families enduring challenging times, helping them feel supported and cared for during their stay.

Themes Addressed

  • term icon
    Community
  • term icon
    Compassion
  • term icon
    Kindness
  • term icon
    Reasons for Hope

The Benefit

  • term icon
    People

Here is how the project went:

The event went really well! We were able to serve a homemade dinner to about 80 people at RMHC Baltimore, and everything went smoothly. The families appreciated the warm meal and welcoming decorations, and many of them stayed to enjoy the music. One of our volunteers played guitar, and it turned into a mini concert with families and volunteers singing along. It felt like a special moment where everyone could relax and enjoy each other’s company. We were happy with how it all came together and felt proud of the positive impact we made.

Through this project I/we learned:

Through this project, we learned that small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Serving a warm meal and creating a welcoming space helped families feel more at home during a difficult time. We also saw how music can bring people together—when our volunteer played guitar and families started singing along, it created a sense of joy and connection. Most of all, we learned the power of teamwork and how meaningful it is to give back to the community.

What I/we might change:

In the future, we’d like to include more vegan and vegetarian food options to make sure everyone feels included and has something they can enjoy.

My/our favorite part of this project was:

Our favorite part of this project was seeing the families relax, smile, and enjoy themselves during the dinner. One of the best moments was when our volunteer started playing guitar and families began singing along—it turned into a really heartwarming and joyful scene. It felt like, even just for a little while, we were able to create a space where everyone could forget their worries and just enjoy being together.

Some tips, tricks or fun facts about the project:

If possible, include a fun element like live music or a small activity for kids to make the event more engaging. Also, plan ahead and have a team meeting before the event to divide tasks and make setup smoother. A fun fact: we didn’t plan for a sing-along, but once the guitar music started, families joined in on their own—it was one of the most memorable parts of the night!

About Roots & Shoots

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