Take a moment to feel gratitude for the all of the wonderful aspects of your life. Really, before you read any more of this challenge…stop and think about your family, your pets, the last vacation you took, something that made you laugh or smile recently, the things you love to do, and the lives you have made better by doing our challenges and campaigns each month.
Ronald McDonald House programs offer rooms for families of pediatric patients to stay in while patients are undergoing treatment. The Houses’ provide a support system for families during great hardship.
“Many families travel far from home and spend several weeks or months to get treatment for their seriously ill or injured children – a long time to be away or to divide a family. And, for children facing a serious medical crisis, nothing seems scarier than not having mom and dad close by for love and support. A Ronald McDonald House provides a place for families to call home so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little to no cost.” – Ronald McDonald House Charities
Please check out their website for more detailed information on the amazing work they do every day and to read family testimonials! https://www.rmhc.org/home
If you are local to Orange County, we will be hosting a movie night at the end of this month for the families staying at the OC Ronald McDonald House. More details of the event will be released shortly so be sure to keep a lookout if you would like to attend! However, if you are not able to attend the event in person, you can still participate in this month’s challenge!
*If you are not local to Orange County, we encourage you to contact your nearest Ronald McDonald House and set up your own event! Let your friends, neighbors, family, and classmates know what you are up to and see if they would like to help gather supplies or attend the event with you!
We all know movie nights wouldn’t be complete without our favorite treats, some comfy blankets and pillows, and of course a movie! For our local OC movie night, we are challenging you to put together some movie night snack packs for everyone to enjoy while watching their featured film. If you need some inspiration you can check out some ideas we’ve posted on Pinterest using this link Party Planning For Littles. Additionally, we would love to provide the families with some new blankets and pillowcases made by YOU! There are multiple patterns online to create your own blanket, but one of the best resources is through Project Linus. Project Linus is an organization that provides blankets to children in need and they have lots of different patterns to choose from using almost any material. If you choose to decorate or make a pillowcase that’s awesome too! It would be nice to include some kind and inspiring words on the pillowcases for the patients to help them feel better, just be sure to use materials that won’t wash out. In case you need some inspiration, we put together a Pinterest page, click here! Whatever you choose to put together for our movie night, we’re sure the families of the Ronald McDonald House will feel so loved!
Items Needed for This Month’s Challenge:
- A box or some sort of fun packaging to put your snack packs in
- Popcorn – microwaveable is probably best, but you could pick up a bag of your favorite flavored popcorn too like caramel, kettle corn, or cheddar!
- Candy
- Drinks
- Fleece, yarn, or wool for making a blanket or pillowcase – if you choose to use a different material that’s great too!
- A white pillowcase, some cardboard, and fabric markers – if you choose to decorate instead of make!
- A blank piece of paper or a card
- Pens, markers, or crayons
*Ronald McDonald House requests that no foods or drinks are homemade please
[wt_spacer height=”31″]
[wt_spacer height=”31″]
How to do This Month’s Challenge:
Gather your supplies for you snack packs and assemble them so they are ready for movie night. Be sure to create a good variety in each pack so that each one is delicious! If you choose to make a blanket or pillowcase…find a pattern you like, gather your material, and create a one of a kind blanket! If you choose to decorate a pillowcase instead…place the cardboard inside of the pillowcase before decorating to prevent the markers bleeding through the other side. Then, simply decorate however you would like! When you’re all finished with your snack packs and blankets/pillowcases it would be extra special for the patients and their families if we included a little note with words of encouragement and love!
Reflection Questions
-
- Why is it important to show families going through hardship that we care about them and are a support system for them?
- How do you think you would feel if you, a family member, or a friend had to stay at the Ronald McDonald House?
- What was your favorite part about this challenge?
- Would you do something again for families at the Ronald McDonald House? If yes, what kind of event would you create?
