Give the greatest gift of all – your time!

Volunteers are the heart of the programs run by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville. Caring and cheerful volunteers are often the first voices heard on the telephone and the first smiling faces seen at the door. Whether they are planning and coordinating an evening family activity, supplying and cooking a meal for the families, or committing to a volunteer shift each week or month, our volunteers make our House and Family Room more like home.

House & Family Room Volunteer Requirements:

  • Must be 18 years of age or accompanied by an adult if ages 10-17
  • Must pass a background check if 18 years of age or older
  • Must be fully vaccinated from COVID-19
  • Willing to commit for at least 6 months to a year
  • Flu vaccination required during “flu season”
  • If working in the Family Room, Volunteers are additionally required to have the following immunizations:
      • Hep B vaccine series or declination form must be submitted
      • TB test
      • MMR
      • Varicella Titer or vaccine
      • Tdap vaccine
      • COVID-19 vaccine initial series & bivalent booster
      • Flu shot is required during flu season each year

Example House & Family Room Volunteer Tasks:

  • Greet and welcome families and visitors to the House and Family Room
  • Register families into the House
  • Answer phone calls from hospital personnel, families, visitors, and community members
  • Clean the kitchen and public areas
  • Assist groups with tours and meals
  • Help with various office tasks (filing, copying, organizing)

If you are interested in supporting RMHC of Nashville as a House and/or Family Room Volunteer please fill out the short application found below! 

House and/or Family Room Volunteer Application

Additional opportunities to volunteer for special events take place throughout the calendar year. If you are interested in being a Special Event Volunteer, you are required to be 18+ years of age. If you are interested in participating as a Special Event Volunteer please email our Volunteer Coordinator, April Rainey at april@rmhcnashville.com.

Interested in supporting families outside of in-person volunteering? Here are a few ways you can help!

Create Family Kits

We have seen volunteers make a variety of kits that bring a smile to the families in our Houses. Groups have created Nail Night Kits, Spa Kits, Movie Kits, Child Activity Kits, Adult Activity Kits and more! Contact info@rmhcnashville.com for more information regarding creative kits. We’d love to hear your ideas! 

Host a Wish List Item Drive

Our House is just like yours, only multiplied by 36! Just like your home, ours needs a number of everyday household items to keep it running. We are always in need of household supplies, food items, and cleaning supplies. We have 36 families who stay with us every night so the need for these items continues throughout the year.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room is located on the 5th floor (Pediatric Critical Care Unit) of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. The Family Room is a place where families can come to relax and have something to eat and drink when they feel they just need to walk away from the bedside but still need to be close to their child.

We have “Wish Lists” of items that are needed for both the House and the Family Room. If you are a member of a group or organization that is looking for a community service project, this is a great way to help those families who need the services provided by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville. Please click to view the Wish Lists for the Family Room and the Nashville Ronald McDonald House. 

Collect Pull Tabs

Individuals, schools, churches, clubs, and businesses can join in the effort. You can help support RMHC of Nashville by collecting the little tabs you pull to open soda, soup or other aluminum cans. The aluminum in that little tab is more sanitary and worth more than the whole can! The funds generated from recycling these aluminum gems helps offset the House’s expenses. Start collecting today!  Download a PDF file of our Pull-Tab program.

Donate a Gift Card

Donate gift cards of any increment to nearby restaurants and grocery stores to help feed and support families staying at the Nashville Ronald McDonald House! Our families also enjoy receiving gift cards to gas stations, Amazon, Walmart, Visa, etc.

Start a Fundraiser

Through the support of other families, staff and volunteers, we can make a difference for RMHC of Nashville families. And, now you can help too by creating your very own fundraiser by juggling, swimming or creating something totally new. You can do whatever you LOVE to do and raise funds #forRMHC.

So start your fundraiser, reach out to your personal network and use all your talents to help RMHC of Nashville give families the gift of laughter, love and time together.

Visit http://support.rmhc.org to start your own fundraiser!

Be a “Stock Our Shelves” (S.O.S.) Sponsor

For a donation of $750, food items, snacks and supplies will be purchased for the Ronald McDonald Family Room for the entire month to offer the families and friends of children in the hospital a break from corridors and waiting rooms. In recognition of your generous donation, your name will be displayed as the “S.O.S. Sponsor of the Month.” Click here for more information about this program. Print S.O.S Sponsor information or fill out our donation form online.

Meal Program

If you are interested in supporting families by preparing or sponsoring a meal, please visit our meal program page found here.