Community Engagement Case Study

Civic Engagement: Volunteering at a Ronald McDonald House Every day countless numbers of people in our society take health for granted, while for others it’s a daily reality. Many families have children who are diseased or have fallen into illness and injury, for them health is a daily battle. As a society, one thing we can do to help alleviate some of the stress they may be burdened with, is providing volunteer service and support. One of the leading organizations supporting families of children who are ill is the Ronald McDonald House, with over 350 houses around the world. These houses provide living quarters and meals to families of sick children at little or no cost, allowing them to stay close during the healing process. Most of what
Studies show that almost half of American adults, give some sort of their time to voluntary associations each year. Volunteers not only make an impact on the lives of those they come in contact with, but are also a financial resource for organizations, allowing them to continue operations. Haski-Leventhal, Hustinx, and Handy’s, research showed that families staying in the Ronald McDonald house were much more appreciative of volunteers, and found them to be extra compassionate and understanding of their situations, in comparison to the paid employees. Most expressed the receptionist area and meal preparation as being their most grateful part of the experience. Providing services such as the meal preparation, as we did, allows for families to focus on their child and avoid the possibility of role strain or even role conflict. This leaves families present to focus on their child’s plan of care and medical needs rather than worrying about household chores (Haski-Leventhal, Hustinx, & Handy,
Volunteering helps to bridge the gap in social inequalities and promote understanding of other perspectives. It creates cohesion within a community and brings social networks together for a common cause. Most people volunteer in organizations, because they believe they are making a socioeconomic impact. However, most people in a volunteer position are also gaining a positive impact from the experience as well as social recognition, self-esteem, training, career enhancement, and health benefits (Wu, H.,