August Volunteer of the Month – Lockton
Meet our volunteers! Each month, we highlight stand-out volunteers and how they support families. For August, meet Susan Braun and the team from Lockton, who have been volunteering their time in our Meals from the Heart and Cookies from the Heart programs since 2017.
1. How long has Lockton been involved with Ronald McDonald House? My team first volunteered with RMHC-CNI 7 years ago.
2. How does your group support Ronald McDonald House? As a group, we have prepared meals though Meals from the Heart, as well as Cookies from the Heart.
3. Why did Lockton first start volunteering with Ronald McDonald House, and what keeps you coming back? Working with employers on their health insurance programs, we have always been aware of the challenges some families face with critical health situations. Sometimes those critical situations are with our own families. Shortly after my son’s 16th birthday, he broke his neck in gymnastics practice and suffered a spinal cord injury. He began recovering from paralysis within 2 weeks of his injury, but he needed to learn to walk again. This meant being inpatient at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for several weeks.
We learned about the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s from other parents and the staff at Shirley Ryan shortly after my son was admitted. This allowed us to be with our son every day which was so important in his recovery. Our son went from being in top physical condition to being unable to walk in a moment. It was an incredible shock for him and our family. He needed all the strength, support, and encouragement we could give him. The Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s allowed us to be there with him every day from the time he woke up until he fell asleep at night. We had a comfortable place to sleep at night and a good meal every day to sustain us through this difficult time. We are so thankful to have had Ronald McDonald House and hope that every family who has a sick or injured child can be as supported as we were.
4. What are some of your favorite memories or experiences from volunteering? I have really enjoyed volunteering with my team preparing dinner through Meals from the Heart. On some of these occasions, my son has joined us. It is really meaningful when we bus tables and interact with the guests while serving them. I love making someone’s day a little easier with the comfort of a warm, delicious meal, and especially enjoy helping the kids to pick out food, a drink, or a dessert they would like. It reminds me to be thankful for the blessings my family experienced during our stay at Ronald McDonald House.
5. Would you recommend Ronald McDonald House to other organizations? What would you tell them about getting involved? I highly recommend volunteering at Ronald McDonald House; it is personal and so meaningful. You will have the opportunity to directly impact a family during a difficult time in their lives. It’s easy to get involved, you just need a small group and start by looking for an available date on the calendars.
Thank you to Susan and the team at Lockton for their dedicated contributions to helping families feel at home!