Does corporate volunteering actually make a difference?

A visit to Ronald McDonald House in Randwick proves that it most certainly does.

By Malinda Zerefos and Helena Gamvros

Ronald McDonald House in Sydney's Randwick is a homely, federation style building providing comfortable accommodation for up to 26 families with children receiving treatment for serious illnesses such as cancer and leukaemia. There are also four self-contained isolation units for bone marrow transplant children and their families. The House has a large, communal kitchen, dining room, family room, teenagers' recreation room and playroom. The cleaning and maintenance of the large house are not easy tasks. In order to keep things running smoothly, extra assistance is always needed.

The House has a corporate volunteer program which has been running since the House opened in 1991, with corporate volunteers providing immense support in ways that directly help the families and their children. (By the way, the urban myth that corporate volunteers dress up in Ronald McDonald suits and put on a show for the children is just that – a myth.) Visitors are warmly met at the door by Molly, the 'labrador-in-charge'.

Penny Douglas, the executive director, explains how the corporate volunteer program operates. Corporate volunteers are given a choice of tasks, known as the House Wish List which includes cooking dinner for the families, gardening, repairing toys or cleaning. Penny has seen a growing popularity for corporations to involve their employees in the volunteer program, particularly in the last three years, as an alternative to the typical 'bonding in the pub' session, with a steady stream of enthusiastic referrals coming from The Centre for Volunteering. Many companies have started to see real benefits of corporate volunteering opportunities for their employees, as a team building activity and as a means to boost workplace morale. However, sustaining a relationship with a non-for-profit organisation has also proven to be an effective way to connect organisations with the community, as an expression of their corporate social responsibility.

The House organises a variety of social events for the children and their families. For example, currently on the front door of the House, you can see an eye catching poster created by a Sydney agency advertising a Mexican burrito night. Activities include face painting, two 'guest puppies' (everyone loves them!) and loads of other cool surprises for the children and their families to enjoy.

Dinners are the social events that families enjoy two to three times a week, with some corporate volunteers cooking on a regular basis. "The corporate dinners are fabulous," said Elva Pettafor, the House manager. "They are very popular and the kids always ask: "So who's cooking for us this week?" It is a huge relief for families and their children coming back from the hospital to find that someone has prepared a meal for them. And for many corporate volunteers, who have professional skills other than the culinary, it is a relief to find that the menu isn't expected to be anything more than easy, nutritious meals such as barbecues, casseroles and baked dinners. "We don't expect people to put on a show," said Elva. "We're just happy for someone to come in and cook the dinner." Cooking for 50 to 70 people is a large task, making the dinners a popular choice for large corporations with lots of enthusiasm. However, all cooking is greatly appreciated even something as small as baking packet-mix muffins. "I know it sounds small, but you'd be surprised at what a difference it makes to the families if someone comes in for a couple of hours and bakes a whole tray of muffins," Elva said.

The dinners have proven to be an extremely popular activity for the corporate volunteers, because they are encouraged to stay and eat with the families, and to meet with the kids and play games. It is also a chance for the families to meet and provide support for each other. "It's great for the families," Elva said. "When they come here and they're stressed, and they're new to the house ... when the corporate dinners are on, they all sit down together ... I think they find it comforting." Putting on the dinners has become so popular with corporate volunteers that the House now has a waiting list for new companies to come in and cook. Penny is still hopeful that the corporate volunteer program will grow, especially with volunteers who can help out with their 'working bee wish list'.

Due to the seriousness of the young patients' illnesses, the House places strong emphasis on hygiene and maintaining a clean and safe environment. The corporate volunteers' greatest contribution to this has been through regular working bees, with volunteer groups ranging from five to 20 people. "Many of the groups are really enthusiastic and come here and do everything. We had one group who literally cleaned every wall, up and down every corridor," said Elva about one global company's efforts. "But there's one thing I don't ever ask and that's people cleaning the toilets." The working bee involves tasks ranging from painting surfaces to gardening and from general cleaning to tidying up. The wish list is flexible and accommodates what the volunteers really want to do. Some companies aim to finish all tasks on the list, while others will choose a few tasks they'd prefer to do.

To get involved, a representative from the company first comes to observe the House and then reports back to the employees with particular tasks in mind. Then on the day, volunteers are welcome to come at a time that suits them, usually staying for about four to six hours. Many corporate volunteers have often continued their contribution to the House beyond the program, through fundraising and supplying new books and DVDs, which reveals how rewarding the volunteering program can be.