Meals from the heart
Chef Led
You pay. Chef plans. Together we cook.
Make a monetary contribution and we take care of the rest. All ingredients and supplies will be ready when your group shows up to cook on-site under the guidance of our Chef team. Exclusively available at the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s.
Meals from the heart
Volunteer Group Led
Plan and Cook Your Meal From Scratch
You’re in control of creating a comforting meal for families. Your group of up to 10 people creates the menu, buys ingredients, and cooks in our fully-equipped kitchens. Share a family recipe or your own creation.
Cater to the hospital
Volunteer Group Led
Order & Deliver Catered Meals for families at in-Hospital Programs
You can give comfort to NICU and other in-hospital families by purchasing catered meals for our in-hospital Program locations. You might not be cooking, but you are still sharing the love.
Your volunteer group will make a $800/$1000 donation to support the food and supplies costs needed to execute your meal. Our Chef team will create a delicious and nutritious menu, secure ingredients and guide your group along the way.
Exclusively available at the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s.
• Groups of 4 – 12 Volunteers
• 4 hour commitment includes cooking, meal service & cleaning
• Must be 13 years old to participate
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You’ll have the opportunity to bring the flavors of home into our Houses: you create the menu, buy the ingredients and prepare a meal for families in our spacious, welcoming kitchens.
• Groups of 3 – 10 Volunteers
• 3 hours commitment includes cooking, meal service & cleaning
• Must be 13 years old to participate
Select your preferred Program location below to see details specific to your volunteerism including timing and number of meals you’ll be preparing.
Not everyone can make it to our Houses to cook – or to eat. When families face long days in the hospital, our Meals from the Heart program delivers catered meals so NICU and in-hospital families can stay by their child’s side.
You can purchase catered meals from local restaurants to help families who appreciate something more than hospital food. (On-site volunteer opportunity available for RMFR in Advocate and RMH in Prentice.)
View dates for the Family Room in Edward Hospital
View dates for the Family Room in Lurie Children’s
View dates for the Family Room in Advocate Children’s Hospital – Park Ridge
We get it. You want to bring your whole family to help our guest families. You want your entire team to share in something special.
Meals are our greatest need and the best way for a larger group to support is by participating in a meal takeover!
Large groups (10+ people) can sign up to cook a meal at the same House across multiple days. Or sign up to cook on the same day at multiple Houses. A meal takeover is a great way to increase your impact by serving multiple communities and families. You will split your large group into groups of 10. This way each meal group has up to 10 volunteers ages 13+ years old.
Each House has its own calendar. The calendars show 3 months out to the date. All our meal calendars are live and first come first serve.
If you would like to schedule a meal takeover, please contact the Community Engagement Team at [email protected] and we can help you set it up.
We want a well-run, meaningful, and fun day for your whole group. The best way is to make sure we’ve got all your questions answered.
Time Matters
Your volunteer time will be 3 to 4 hours, including prep, cooking, meal service and clean-up. We need you to arrive on time at your location and remain until everything is cleaned up.
What to Bring
If you’re coming to our House near Lurie Children’s, just bring yourself (and wear comfortable shoes)! If you are cooking at another location, just bring yourself and your unopened ingredients. No prep beforehand, please. We have all supplies and utensils.
Group Information
For safety reasons, our age minimum is 13 years old. Please do not bring younger children. We also cannot accommodate more than our maximum group size. It’s a matter of health and safety and ensures your group has the best experience.
