My work volunteering as a Ronald McDonald House Charity Ambassador has only just begun. This past week my husband and I visited the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
The Eastern Wisconsin chapter is undergoing a huge expansion, going from 38 rooms to 70! Even under construction it’s a gorgeous site to see and the staff is working seamlessly through the process of adding on a new wing. It’s such a great project and I can not wait to see the end results. You can view photos of the expansion plans and process here on their brand new website.
I’ll share with you a few of my favorite parts of the Milwaukee Ronald McDonald House. The entrance of the house is welcoming and festive.
There is a room dedicated to art therapy and music therapy, where trained art therapists work at least 5 days a week. The music and art therapy definitely has a focus on children, but also helps parents as well. After learning about the room, I was amazed, I only wish we had a space like this when Aliceana was in the hospital (every house is completely different, and the smaller house we stayed at didn’t have this option.)
The art projects definitely promote healing. We saw bottles of hope, bottles that children and parents decorate and fill with their hopes, parents normally write messages of hope in these bottles while children often whisper their hopes into the bottles before sealing them.
They also had Worry Warriors, little figures that you can bind together and place under your pillow to hold onto your worry so you can get a night of rest.
My favorite part though, was the Friendly Loom. There are instructions on how to weave using the loom right beside it. Families are more than welcome to add to the loom, there are even strips of fabric woven into the loom with heartfelt messages written on them. The weaving can be extremely relaxing, and some parents will come down to weave when they’re having a restless night and can’t sleep. These little actions can make such a huge impact when your child is in a hospital, I wish every Ronald McDonald House could have a room like this (as well as wonderful trained staff to aide in this difficult process!) Read more about the art therapy program here.
They also have a great playroom (called The Magic Room) I love the royal feel in this fun themed room.
The outdoor area is amazing, it definitely wasn’t being used on the day of our visit as Wisconsin gets quite cold in Fall and Winter. It was still beautiful, I can’t imagine how much use this area gets during the warm summer months. When you’re away from home the little things make a huge difference. This outdoor area provides so much families are able to grill, enjoy a meal outside, play on the equipment, pick their own produce from the garden, or given the chance to be able to sit and enjoy the scenery.
During our stay at the Madison location we brought a pizza back to the house and enjoyed it outside on a picnic table, it was definitely one of the few moments that brought us some sort of normalcy in that trying time. So I know firsthand just how important an outdoor area and some fresh air can be!
They also have a great toy room, and the cutest little lounge area outside of it. Each child gets to pick one toy during their stay to bring home with them.
There are no words to explain just how great it is to have a place like this for families to stay when their children are in the hospital. You can (and should) follow the Milwaukee Ronald McDonald House Charity on Facebook and Twitter to see more updates on the progress of the growing house!
Would you like to help out one of these houses?
Well, now we’ve made it easier for you. Between now and November 20th visit your local McDonald’s and Give A Hand. Donate $1, $3, or $5 and have your name displayed on a hand in the restaurant throughout the month of November. Our family is going to McDonald’s for dinner tonight, I won’t have to cook and I’ll be able to donate to my favorite charity. Now that’s a win-win!
You can also enter the McDonald’s Family Togetherness photo contest, submit a photo of what Family Togetherness means to you with a brief description and you’ll have a chance to win prizes like a family vacation!
Isn’t this a great house? When you’re away from home, what do you like to do to keep from getting homesick? Do you like to express yourself with art, or maybe just sit outdoors and enjoy a few peaceful moments? Let me know in the comments below!
Written by, Brittany, the geek behind the blog. I share lots of recipes, my thoughts on the latest tech gadgets, my favorite geeky games, and snippets of life as a Work-at-home mom.