Volunteer
Each and every one of our volunteers plays a major role in our mission
to keep families near their sick children.
They are here to lessen the burdens these families face and
I could not be more grateful for this support.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are essential to providing families comfort and support during their stay at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley.
• • •
By sharing their talents, time, and hearts, volunteers truly make our house feel like a home for our guest families.
Feed our Families
We loved how the volunteers would bring in meals for everyone.
It was so nice knowing that we didn't have to worry about finding something to eat after a long day at the hospital.
Food is an important way for us to nourish our RMHC families. Our volunteer kitchen is available for three different opportunities to help our families focus on what’s most important – getting their child healthy and home.
Our volunteer kitchen can accommodate up to 10 people at a time. For larger groups, please get in touch with our volunteer coordinator to discuss available opportunities.
All volunteers will need to:
- Check in upon arrival with a government-issued ID. We are a Lobby Guard facility, and all visitors are screened to ensure the safety of our families.
- Everyone in our volunteer kitchen is expected to follow safe food handling guidelines. We expect proper handwashing and disposable gloves are available for use.
We hope you will share your volunteer experience on social media! Please respect the privacy of our families and refrain from including guest families in your photos.
Please email volunteer@rmhcfargo.org or call 701-232-3980 to find a date that works and to discuss details.
Our goal is to offer an evening meal every day for the families staying at Ronald McDonald House. There are two convenient options to make an impact with our Share-A-Meal program:
- Sponsor a Meal: Your cash donation provides a fun treat for our families! From pizza to sandwiches to your favorite local restaurant – this option is great for busy schedules or a great way to honor someone you love! Meal sponsorships start at $100.
▶︎ Email Us to Sponsor a Share-A-Meal
- Volunteer: Roll up your sleeves and prepare your favorite dish made with love! Volunteers plan the menu, provide all the necessary ingredients and prepare the meal in our beautiful volunteer kitchen.
- Plan to feed 15-20 adults.
- Our volunteer kitchen is reserved for our Share-A-Meal volunteers from 3:30-5:30pm. If your meal requires extra time, or you have an interest in providing breakfast, brunch or lunch, we are flexible and would love to help accommodate your ideas!
- In accordance with local health codes all food offered to our families must be prepared on-site in our volunteer kitchen or prepared in a licensed kitchen.
- Please have your meal available for families to enjoy no later than 5:30pm. Meals are served buffet style and taken down by staff at the end of the meal. There is no need for you to stay and serve the meal.
- Our kitchen is stocked with common kitchen equipment and tools. If your meal requires something specialized, please feel free to bring it.
- We ask that volunteers tidy the kitchen and clean any items used for meal preparation. When your food is prepared and the kitchen is clean, you are free to leave. Our staff will take care of storing any leftover food from the meal.
- What should we make? We encourage you to make your family favorites! Do you know that special meatball recipe you got from Grandma? Or how about that award-winning chili recipe you make every year on the first snowfall?
- We kindly request you share your menu with us at least a week in advance to avoid duplication and provide variety for our families.
- Our Share-A-Meal program is a volunteer favorite and our calendar fills up very quickly – please don’t be surprised if the first available date is 1-2 months out from your initial inquiry.
- Families consistently tell us that meals are one of the most appreciated amenities of their stay. Upon signing up for a meal date, we ask that you help us uphold our commitment to provide one meal per day for our families. If you are unable to fulfill your volunteer shift please provide proper notice so we can offer the opportunity up to another volunteer or consider making arrangements for a catered meal to be delivered.
- Bring in all of the necessary ingredients and plan to prepare 2 dozen of your favorite baked goods.
- Our volunteer kitchen is reserved for bakers from 9-11am or by special appointment.
We are happy to be flexible! - Our volunteer kitchen is stocked with common kitchen equipment and tools. If your recipe requires something specialized, please feel free to bring it.
- In accordance with local health codes all food offered to our families must be prepared on-site in our volunteer kitchen or prepared in a licensed kitchen.
- Please label the goods if you use nuts or other common allergy-prone ingredients.
- Join our snack squad and provide healthy grab and go snack options for our families to enjoy as they rush off to appointments or return to the house after a long day.
- Our volunteer kitchen is reserved for this opportunity from 12-2pm.
- You get to craft your menu and provide all of the necessary ingredients. We suggest planning for 2-3 items with around 12-15 individual servings per item. We have several disposable packing options available.
- Our volunteer kitchen is stocked with common kitchen equipment and tools. If your recipe requires something specialized, please feel free to bring it.
- Popular Snack Suggestions:
- Breakfast Sandwiches
- Deli Sandwiches/Wraps
- Yogurt or Pudding Parfaits
- Snack Mix
- Veggie Cups
- Fresh Fruit Cups
- Meat/Cheese/Crackers
- Protein Balls
- Homemade Uncrustables
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Pasta Salads
Guest Services
Our Guest Services volunteers report for a scheduled weekly shift to support our mission. Shifts are 2-3 hour segments and each guest services volunteer has a specific area of responsibility. We lovingly refer to this dedicated group of volunteers as our Heartwarmers and we have shifts available at both our Ronald McDonald House and our Ronald McDonald Family Room programs.
Our Heartwarmer shifts are filled through a comprehensive application process which includes:
- Volunteer Application Form
- Criminal Background Check
- Interview
As a vital part of our team, we ask our Heartwarmers commit to a minimum of six months of service.
Shifts are completed at our Ronald McDonald House
Tasks Include:
- Office Projects – Filing and Data Entry
- Stocking our Pantry, Caring Closet, Magic Room and Petite Boutique
- Organizing supplies
- Cleaning and stocking our kitchen
All of our Heartwarmer shifts at our main Ronald McDonald House are currently filled.
To join our waitlist for open opportunities, please email volunteer@rmhcfargo.org.
Shifts are completed at our Ronald McDonald Family Room located within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Essentia Health in Fargo.
Tasks Include:
- Help provide a warm, friendly and supportive environment for families with children who are hospitalized.
- Keep the space neat and tidy.
- Restock snacks, beverages and supplies.
- Wash and fold laundry.
Please note: Family Room volunteers need to complete an additional level of screening through Essentia Health prior to being approved for this role.
We currently have a variety of 3 hour shifts available on:
- Saturday
- Sunday
Interested in sharing your gifts as a Heartwarmer? Start by completing our Guest Services Volunteer Application Form.
Special Projects
Volunteers are essential to providing families comfort and support
during their stay at the Ronald McDonald House.
With the help of volunteers, we can expand the ways we serve families.
Cleaning slots are available at various times.
Please reach out to volunteer@rmhcfargo.org
for information on timing.
- Cleaning slots are available from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm
- Cleaning Tasks Include:
- Sweeping, Mopping or Vacuuming
- Dusting
- Sanitizing Surfaces
- Deep Cleaning
- Trash Removal
Please note: At this time, all of our maintenance volunteer roles are filled throughout 2025.
Outdoor Cleaning Tasks vary by season and include:
- Weeding
- Assisting with plants and flowers
- Picking up Trash
- Minor Repairs
- Painting
- Assembling items
- Breaking down cardboard
- Transporting Items to Recycling Centers
Maintenance volunteers are needed on an as-needed basis, mostly during the workday Monday – Friday.
At this time, all of our maintenance volunteer roles are filled.
To join our waitlist for open opportunities, please email volunteer@rmhcfargo.org.
Family Support
Special activities and opportunities are an excellent way for families to unwind and relax after a long day. Share your passions and talents with our families – from a special activity to a musical offering and more!
Family Support Ideas:
- Host a special activity for the families staying at our Ronald McDonald House.
Options include: craft nights, movie nights, art projects, yoga classes, and more - Share a Musical Offering and perform for our families. We have a piano onsite or you can bring your instruments or voice to entertain our families.
- Pet therapy (must be certified by Therapy Dogs International or Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs)
Notes:
- Please bring any equipment or materials you will need with you.
- Home-baked foods cannot be brought into our House. If edible items are required for your activity, those items must be store bought and shelf stable.
- Unfortunately, we cannot predict the number of people who will participate in your activity. The health and hospital schedules of our guests can fluctuate daily. Because a majority of the children are inpatient, you can expect somewhere between one and twenty people (kids and adults) to attend. Ages will vary from infant to adult.
- To respect the varied faiths and backgrounds in our House, all programs must be non-denominational.
- We typically schedule activity times with an arrival at 6:30 p.m. to set up and start around 7 p.m. If this doesn’t work, please reach out to us at volunteer@rmhcfargo.org to discuss options.
Please limit your group size to no more than 7 people.
Decorate and fill grab-n-go snack bags so families have sustenance for a long day at the hospital. These bags provide a dose of inspiration and are perfect for families to grab on their way out the door to a long day of appointments or car ride home
Kid's Opportunities
Kid's Opportunities
Kids are welcomed and encouraged to help by volunteering in support of our mission.
Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
“We loved how the volunteers would bring in meals for everyone.
It was so nice knowing that we didn’t have to worry
about finding something to eat after a long day at the hospital.”
– Bush Family, 19 nights at the House –
Meals are an important way for us to care for our RMHC families.
Click HERE to find out more!
Your pop tabs make a big difference for families!
It’s a small gesture, but collecting pop can tabs can make a big difference! In fact, because of people like you saving your pop tabs, we raise around $5,000 each year to support our families. These funds help ensure there is no cost for families to enjoy the comforts of home while their kids are receiving medical care.
Saving pop tabs is easy and fun! Schools, churches, scout troops, businesses, neighbors, and families have all enjoyed collecting pop tabs, knowing that they are making a difference.
Click HERE to find out more!
- Decorate ornaments for our Holiday Giving Trees
We need your help to make our Holiday Giving Trees a success! During the holidays, we have giving trees in each of the 24 locally owned McDonald’s Restaurants that support our Ronald McDonald House programs. Help us make these tree’s unique and beautiful by decorating ornaments.
Here’s How:
Download the printable ornament graphics
Get creative! Decorate the ornaments as your heart desires. Don’t feel like you need to stick to traditional holiday colors or patterns.
Cut out your creations. We will laminate and add string to them.
Return your creations to:
Ronald McDonald House
4757 Agassiz Crossing S
Fargo, ND 58104
- Make tie blankets to bring comfort and warmth to our families.
- Create cards or notes for family mailboxes to lift our families up
- Decorate and fill grab-n-go snack bags so families have sustenance for a long day at the hospital
- Share your musical talents and perform for our families at the Ronald McDonald House to brighten someone’s day.
- Assist with light housekeeping projects at the Ronald McDonald House to help keep everything neat and tidy
Help us welcome families with a smile!
It’s hard being away from home- especially during the fun summer months! We’re looking for artists to help transform our sidewalks into a cheerful canvas that will usher families in with a smile. All artistic abilities welcome- this is the perfect opportunity to let imaginations run wild with fun images and inspiring messages.