Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley Announces Partnership with Volunteer New York!

Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley (RMHGHV) recently forged a partnership with Volunteer New York! to regularly engage corporate volunteers for their Day of Service volunteer program, Chef for a Day. The program which was launched last Fall calls for local chefs to bring their culinary talents to the newly renovated kitchen in the House and lead cooking demonstrations. Chef for a Day, connects local chefs with RMHGHV volunteers who commit to a day of service and create, prepare and serve brunch, dessert and dinner to the families that stay at the House.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the team at RMHGHV to share our knowledge and insight about volunteering in the Westchester community to potential corporate volunteer groups,” said Katie Pfeifer, Senior Director of Programs for Volunteer New York!. “Through this partnership, we can bring to the table our vast knowledge of corporate engagement while aligning with the needs and culture of the Ronald McDonald House.”

Based in Tarrytown, Volunteer New York! inspires, mobilizes and equips individuals, groups and organizations to take positive action to address pressing challenges, support nonprofits and strengthen the quality of life in the community. Through this partnership, the Corporate Relations Team at Volunteer New York! will serve as a liaison between interested volunteer groups and RMHGHV while providing top notch volunteer engagement for companies participating in this program.

“Partnering with Volunteer New York! is just one more step toward our continued goal of cultivating corporate volunteerism here at our House through our Day of Service programs,” said Christina Riley, Executive Director RMHGHV. “Our Chef for a Day program will continue to flourish through this partnership and we are looking forward to working with the dedicated leadership team at Volunteer New York! to continue to create hope, help, and comfort through delicious meals for our families.”

The House, just steps away from the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, provides a home-away-from-home for families of sick children and serves two meals a day, 365 days a year. Since the House was opened over a decade ago the staff and volunteers have prepared almost 75,000 meals through their Meals that Heal volunteer program. The new Chef for a Day program gives the local business community an exciting opportunity to fulfill their social responsibility while enjoying a new experience. The guest chefs create the menus, prepare the meals and guide the volunteers through the cooking demonstration. The volunteers work alongside the chefs and then serve the meals to the families currently staying at the House. The Chef for a Day program, which runs on Wednesdays only, offers three Tiers for corporations to choose from, allowing groups to fully immerse themselves in activities at the House. Interested Chefs can contact Ashlyn Hay at ahay@rmhghv.org. For more information about Chef for a Day visit www.rmh-ghv.org.

About Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley

Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley (RMHGHV) provides families with all the comforts of home and eases some of the emotional and financial burdens they experience when faced with their child’s illness. When children must travel long distances to access top medical care, accommodations for families can be expensive or not readily available. Located on the campus of Westchester Medical Center the House is just steps away from Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Since opening in 2011, RMHGHV has saved more than 2,000 families over $5,000,000 in out-of-pocket lodging and meal costs. As partners in enabling family-centered care RMHGHV strives to be part of the solution in improving the lives of children and their families by providing programs that strengthen families during difficult times.