Navigating an illness with a loved one is a journey that requires perseverance, strength, and community. But when you add a hospitalization away from home to the mix, it can truly feel unfathomable. I can certainly relate to this after my own personal experience with Mattea.
Thankfully, I had the honor of witnessing firsthand the love, hope, and community that lives within the walls of the Ronald McDonald Houses.
It’s my privilege to introduce you to Ronald McDonald House Charities’ Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana CEO, Holly Buckendahl. For over 25 years as a non-profit leader, the last 14 of which with RMHC, she’s committed herself to improving the health and wellness of families in need.
The RMHC supports families by providing a home away from home during hospitalizations, community, family rooms in hospitals, mobile medical healthcare for underprivileged children, and so much more.
Enjoy this conversation as you’ll hear about the incredible work Holly and the RMHC teams do worldwide. You’ll learn about the best ways to get involved and receive advice from an experienced social worker on the best ways to provide emotional support for families in your community that are going through hardships.
Don’t underestimate how much rounding up your bill at Mcdonald’s by a few cents can help. Last year Mcdonald’s raised over $2 million for the RMHC in round-up change. A small donation can make a world of a difference.
Key Takeaways with Holly Buckendahl
- How the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) work to support families with hospitalized loved ones.
- What you can do to emotionally support families in your community going through hardships.
- Discover the role of McDonalds in raising funds and supporting the RMHC.
- How spreading awareness of the existence of RMHC worldwide could greatly impact a family in need.
- Getting involved with the charities.
- The empowering force of community, especially through hospitalizations.
Holly Buckendahl Tweetables
- “The Ronald McDonald House Charities mission is very purposeful, not complicated to understand, and it embraces and engages the community to come alongside families to support them during really trying times.” – Holly Buckendahl
- “When you’re going through hard things, it’s helpful to have even one connection with someone who gets it.” – Jamie Freedlund
- “Families [going through hardship] need empowerment, they need to be a partner in the care continuum. And so as the support system around a family: don’t disempower them from being in the driver’s seat. It’s always good to just ask the question: ‘how can I support you?’” – Holly Buckendahl
Resources
- Follow Holly Buckendahl on LinkedIn
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana
- Read the Chicago Tribune’s article on Holly Buckendahl, “Chicago’s Ronald McDonald House Charities hires new CEO”
- Get Involved with Ronald McDonald House Charities
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