Ronald McDonald
House of
Southwestern Ontario

Our mission at the Ronald McDonald House of Southwestern Ontario is to provide a home away from home for out of town families whose children are receiving treatment at one of London's hospitals. We strive to ease the stress and financial burden of these families at a very difficult time in their lives. Sometimes the simple things, like a home cooked meal, can help to provide a little bit of normal. Dinner At Our House is a simple program that makes a big difference for our guest families.

Please review the following information about the program and what you can expect. If you would like further information please contact the Program Coordinator, Kelley Montfort (kmontfort [at] rmhswo [dot] ca or call 519-685-3232) or if you are ready to get started fill out and email or fax the Dinner at Our House Application to 519-685-0703.

General Information:

• Meals are generally required for between 50-60 people depending on occupancy.
• Groups of 6-8 volunteers are ideal.
• Meal choices should appeal to as many people as possible i.e. Avoid anything very spicy etc.
• Food for the meal preparation is provided by the volunteer group (some staples such as cooking oils, spices, etc. are available at the House - if in doubt call to check).
• The House has a large kitchen (including several dishwashers to help make cleanup easier) and is equipped with almost everything you require to prepare your meal.
• Volunteers are invited to join our families, relax and share in the meal, but please ensure there is enough food for the guests first. We do ask that volunteers respect the privacy of our guests. Any information that a parent/guardian may choose to share should be kept confidential.
• Meal choices should be submitted to the House one week prior to your visit to avoid duplication and help to provide some variety for our guests. Meals are subject to approval by House staff.
• There is no need to set tables - buffet style is all that is required. You may have very few families actually join you at dinner. Rest assured that any left-overs will not last long, and will not go to waste. Many parents spend the majority of their time at the hospital and often do not arrive at the House until late in the evening to enjoy your meal.

Getting Started:

• Gather a group of 4-8 friends or co-workers who love to cook.
• Appoint a main contact person for your group.
• Determine possible dates for your meals.
• Fill out and return the attached application form and email or fax it to the House.

On Each Visit:

• Submit meal choice to the House one week prior to your visit.
• Arrive in enough time to serve your meal by approx 5:30pm.
• Sign in with volunteer at reception.
• Verify that you have not been in contact with anything infectious or contagious in the past three weeks (infectious control questionnaire).
• Read safe food handling procedures information (each person/first visit).
• Have fun, show off your culinary skills, serve and share in your meal.
• Cleanup: Load and run dishwashers, package all left-overs in containers provided and label appropriately.
• Please leave our kitchen as you found it - clean and tidy!