Ronald McDonald House® provides a "Home-away-from-home" for the families of critically ill children. It is very infrequent that we have children staying in the House with us. We do not take care of (baby-sit for) the siblings of the hospitalized patient, as we are not licensed to be a Day Care facility. The State of Florida is a very specific about this! However, we do have needs for competent people to answer and direct phone calls, register and check-out guests, prepare foods, make up rooms, clean up the public areas (yes, this includes a bathroom) by dusting, vacuuming, and emptying waste baskets, cleaning sinks, stoves, washers, dryers, etc. all of the things homemakers have been doing for hundreds of years.

Our House is unpredictable in its activity level. There are times when the staff and volunteers can bearly catch their breaths they are so busy, and other times when they wonder if the world has forgotten about them. Our volunteers must be flexible in their expectations of what they will be doing at any given time.

One of the greatest things about being a volunteer at a Ronald McDonald House® is that you meet people when they are the most genuine. This is also one of the worst things about being a volunteer too. Our volunteers must be attuned to the sensitivities of our guests, and not wear their personal feelings and problems on their sleeves.