I was introduced to the people and the mission of the Ronald McDonald House four years ago by my friend Robbi Atkins. She asked me if I was interested in helping out and volunteering for their annual Casa de Amor event in September. That year, the event broke all previous donation records to that date, raising $126,371. The following year I had the privilege to be elected to the Board of Directors. Our Casa de Amor event has continued to raise the bar with each year raising more than the previous. CASA 2019 is scheduled for September 5th….. stay tuned for more details.
Men Who Cook is by far one of the most fun FUNdraisers in the city. I am not being biased! My first MWC event saw the house raise $98, 938. This year in 2019 we raised $503,121.00. WOW! We were all amazed and so very grateful for the crowds that came out, got involved, and most importantly donated their time, talent, and money. Both of these events sell out, so get your tickets early. I promise you will have big fun! Fun aside….. why do we host these events? IT’S FOR THE KIDS!
The Ronald McDonald house has the most incredible staff that are truly and lovingly committed to the mission. Their passion for their jobs and the families they support make it so easy for me to be a voice and advocate for the RMH of CC. Our goal is to make sure that families of sick children have a safe and comfortable home away from home while their children receive medical care. Many of the families do not live in the CC area and are separated while a child receives critical care. Our goal is to make sure they are focused on getting their children well and not having to worry about where to stay. Many times they stay for free, or for a nominal fee. We do all of this with the help of our generous donors.
Here are a few simple ways you can give back. If you walk into any McDonalds there is a donation box at the register. No amount is too small to deposit! There are yellow drop boxes around town for gently used clothes and shoes of all sizes to be dropped off. There is one located on North Padre Island in the Keller Williams parking lot. Right now Specs is hosting a campaign where you can donate at the register. If you are a consumer of canned drinks, you can pull that tab off the top and those can be donated to RMH which they turn them in for money. Feel free to drop them off at the Keller Williams office on the island anytime. You can also cook a meal for the families at the house, and get your companies involved in this as well. Every little bit DOES count and helps us keep families focused on what they need to be focused on, which is the health and recovery of their child.
Our current house is a blessing; however, it is time for a new one. With the generous support of the Ed Rachal Foundation we have applied for an expansion and are awaiting approval from our global office. I am extremely proud of my affiliation with this organization. I consider myself very blessed to know the people who make the day to day happen at the house and to sit on the board. I could not be more passionate about our mission. If you are interested in getting involved, I invite you to reach out to me or to friend the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CC on Facebook. We have so many ways in which you can be involved. You can take a tour of the home as well. Most importantly….. I hope you will consider giving, remembering why we are doing what we are doing….. FOR THE KIDS!
Website: https://rmhcofcc.org/ – You can DONATE online or sign up to volunteer.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Corpus Christi
3402 Fort Worth St., Corpus Christi, TX 78411
Phone: 361-854-4073
Fax: 361-854-9174
Email: Office@corpuschristirmhc.org
Article By: Tracey Cazalas is a Realtor with Keller Williams on the island