Sylvie’s Home for Dinner

Ends: December 31, 2023

Some time ago, a young member of my family was diagnosed with leukemia and was urgently transported by helicopter to the Children’s Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (CHEO). While her life at 15 was put on hold, so were the lives of both her parents who were welcomed at Ronald McDonald House Charities Ottawa (RMHCO) with open arms. This wonderful place stands across the road from CHEO and offers a home away from home to people like my family members who have a very sick child. It offers temporary living arrangements, even though, for some it feels more like a permanent situation. This is how I was introduced to the House. Their accommodation offers a lot more than a place to sleep, it offers living room space when more privacy is needed, laundry facilities, a fully equipped kitchen to allow these folks to prepare their meals, a dining room area, and a beautiful green space. While visiting the House I learned about this program called “Home for Dinner”, which allows volunteers to come in and cook for the people staying at the House. What a program! Imagine the weight of having to prepare a simple meal when your thoughts and energy are with your sick child. This program not only provides comfort to families, but also nutrition which is so important during such trying times. I was touched and decided then that upon my retirement from work, I would get involved. As of Spring 2023, I am proud to share that two of my best buddies and I are now part of this program. They call us “the French Ladies”... we show up at the House once a month and cook a full healthy meal that we leave behind for the families to enjoy. We get to meet and speak with some of the guests, and it makes what we do even more special. However, their is a monetary cost to all of this. I found out that the cost of the ingredients alone for any given meal is anywhere between $200 and $250 to feed 28 people. That’s a lot! So I did a little fundraising on my own this Summer and raised $4,400.00. That money is going straight towards the “Home for Dinner” program but it does not last forever and new families continue to show up at the House. So today, I’m asking YOU to help ME raise another $5,000. It is my hope that TOGETHER, we can reach $10,000 by the end of the year. Thank you in advance for any consideration given to my project and my fund raising activities! Sylvie