July Volunteer of the Month – Audrey Zagorski
Meet our volunteers! Each month, we highlight stand-out volunteers and how they support families. For July, meet Audrey Zagorski, who began volunteering as a member of our Teen Advisory Council.
- How long have you volunteered with RMHC-CNI?
I first got involved in 2021 when I joined the organization’s Teen Advisory Council (TAC). - Where/how do you typically volunteer (House, event, other?) and what do you usually do?
I participate as a TAC member supporting the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s Hospital. The TAC does a variety of activities, but most of my efforts focus on collecting Wish List items. I even got my tennis team involved in this. At our year-end party last year everybody brought supplies to donate and support the House! - Why did you first start volunteering with RMHC-CNI, and what keeps you coming back?
My dad works for McDonald’s, so I was introduced to Ronald McDonald House Charities when I was little. I always saw him going to events, and this made me want to get involved. My dad would tell me about all the ways that the organization helps families and the impact they have on their lives, so I wanted to be a part of that myself.I also want to be a pediatric orthopedic specialist, so I feel like supporting RMHC-CNI is great introduction for me to learn new ways to assist kids. - What is your favorite memory or experience from volunteering?
My favorite memory is going down to the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s and getting a tour of the whole location. It was really amazing to see the ways that donations are used in the House, as well as to learn what types of support are most needed. - What does it mean to you to donate your time to RMHC-CNI?
I love knowing that I am making a difference and helping those in need. Being able to help families in any way I can is really impactful because I know I am making a hard time just a little bit easier. - If someone was thinking about becoming a volunteer with our organization, what would you tell them about what they can expect if/when they get involved?
I would tell them that they will meet a lot of other amazing volunteers. And, I would tell future TAC members to be ready to be creative to come up with ways to support RMHC-CNI. Everyone always welcomes and listens to new ideas!
Thank you Audrey for your contributions to helping families feel at home!