February Volunteer of the Month – Aon
Aon is one of our fantastic, corporate supporters! We are so grateful for their ongoing involvement, and love how many team members have volunteered with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (RMHC-CNI) over the years. And, particular thanks goes out to Megan Black for crafting this story, and for sharing her personal experiences as a RMHC-CNI volunteer.
- How long has Aon volunteered with RMHC-CNI, and how long have you (Megan) personally been involved?
Aon has always been involved with RMHC-CNI, and I, personally, learned that there was an opportunity to be part of the Red Shoe Society through a colleague who was part of the group! I joined Red Shoe Society and started volunteering in 2022 and have loved it ever since. When I first joined Red Shoe Society I shared some of my experiences with my teammates and business trading partners and they wanted to get in on the fun! Since 2022, our team (Aon – FSG – PNP) have done a variety of volunteer activities, such as: making lunches, baking cookies and collecting toys for the toy closet. It has truly been such an amazing experience to be part of the impact that our team has had on RMHC-CNI. - Where/how does the group typically volunteer, and what does the team usually do?
Our group usually does an official ‘Aon + AIG House Takeover’ every year, where we sign up for multiple Culinary Hearts lunches and make meals for the families. We have made this a team effort with one of our trading partners, AIG, and it has turned out to be a fun, impactful week every year. We are now going into year three! We have also participated in Meals from the Heart/Culinary Hearts, volunteered for Cookies from the Heart, and supported fundraising events (Red Shoe Brew and Par-Tee for the House) with other trading partners such as Travelers, Zurich, Berkley, Intact and Argo, and it has been such a great experience that is different from your typical business networking event. - Why did you first pursue having Aon start volunteering with RMHC-CNI, and what keeps you coming back?
I was involved with Red Shoe Society, and the idea to get my team involved stemmed from conversations I was having with my colleagues on what I was doing to support RMHC-CNI. I recall the idea of the ‘Aon + AIG House Takeover’ actually came from a conversation at dinner, and the underwriter at AIG wanted to see how he could support as well. From there forward our involvement blossomed! I believe what keeps our team coming back is seeing the direct impact we’re having and the fun that comes from working together to create good in the world. - What is your favorite memory or experience from volunteering with Aon for RMHC-CNI?
It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I would say my all-time favorite memory was when we made dinner and a family came in to the dining lounge area. The family had this glow of excitement and we didn’t know why at first. Then the mother shared with us how their daughter just got cleared from open heart surgery and this was essentially her first meal since the operation. They even asked us to take a photo of them sitting at the table as a family, and I had to fight not to shed happy tears while holding their phone. It truly is a memory that I will forever hold onto. The volunteer experiences are filled with laughter and others with happy tears, as you do get that soft reminder of where you are and know that the families you are helping may be going through hard times. But at the end of the day, seeing everyone’s smiles after a day of volunteering and knowing the direct impact the group has made is so rewarding and that is all you can ask for – being part of the impact! - What does it mean to you to be able to have the company partner with our organization?
Aon is very supportive of having team members volunteer, even when it involved stepping away from our busy desks. I think it’s cool to work for an organization that supports its staff in making a difference in the community and providing the resources to make that happen. - If another company was thinking about volunteering of partnering with RMHC-CNI, what would you tell them about getting involved?
I would say, just do it! Our team has always had such a great experience and the way that RMHC-CNI sets up volunteer opportunities makes everything so easy. All you have to do is show up and the RMHC-CNI team is there to guide you and answer any questions you may have. Everyone is so helpful and caring and I think that is what also keeps our team wanting to come back!
Thank you, Aon and Megan for your contributions to helping families feel at home!