Meals from the Heart
When a child is in hospital, the days can be exhausting and emotionally challenging for families. Often, they don't have the time, energy, or resources to prepare a fresh meal.
Meals from the Heart is a group or corporate volunteering program that provides families staying at Ronald McDonald House Canberra with a home-cooked meal twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
We invite teams of co-workers or community groups to prepare dinner for families staying at the House, located within the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. We provide the kitchen, and you bring the menu!
Book your spot now (up to 4 months in advance) for a rewarding experience of cooking for families in need by using the calendar below.
Important Information
Please read the FAQs below the calendar, and the content of the confirmation emails before turning up for your scheduled booking.
Starting 01 February 2023, we introduced a financial donation for participating in the Meals from the Heart program. The cost is between $250 to $500, depending on the size and type of your organisation and your ability to pay.
There is no charge for community groups or similar organisations.
After booking your preferred date and time, please make your donation below in the "Payment Information" section. If you do not fit in either of the categories and would like to donate your own chosen amount, you are welcome to do so.
When and Where Do I Report on the Day of My Booking?
Meals from the Heart dinners are served at 6:15 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays. To allow enough meal preparation time, we request that you arrive by 4:30 pm at the latest and start cooking!
Participants are required to stay until food service and clean-up of the kitchen are completed, usually by 7:00-7:15 pm. Time commitment for Meals from the Heart is usually about three hours from arrival to pack-up and clean-up. A volunteer is on hand to advise and assist.
We are located on Level 2 of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, Hospital Rd, Garran. Once you arrive, please sign in with a staff member. You can also phone us when you're downstairs if you need help carrying the groceries!
If you have any questions, please contact us at 02 6281 5894 or email events.canberra@rmhc.org.au. We look forward to welcoming you to the House!
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after I have made a booking using the calendar?
You will receive an automated email confirming your booking once you place it. Please follow all instructions contained within the email for yourself and your group members.
Is there a cost to take part?
As of 01 February 2023, we have introduced a financial donation to take part in the Meals from the Heart program. The fee is either $250 or$500 depending on the size & type of the organisation, and ability to pay.
If you are a community group or similar, there will be no charge.
Please note that groups are required to bring their own groceries. The financial donation to engage in a #MealsFromTheHeart cooking session does not cover the cost of groceries.
After you make your booking of a preferred date and time, please make your donation below (in the section "Payment Information"). If you do not fit in either of the categories, and would like to donate your own nominated amount, please feel free to do so.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 02 6281 5894.
What do I need to bring on the day of my booking?
We provide the kitchen and the utensils, as well as aprons, hair nets and masks, but you need to bring your own groceries/food items that you wish to cook with.
How many people can a group bring?
Maximum group size is 5 participants for health and safety reasons. All group members must be over 18.
How many people will my group be cooking for?
We have 10 rooms in our Ronald McDonald House, with each room housing two adults and sometimes 1-2 children (siblings of the patient). Therefore, you can expect to be cooking for about 20-25 people.
However, closer to your scheduled visit, we can discuss details such as the menu and approximate catering numbers, so you know how many groceries to bring!
When and where do I report on the day of my booking?
Meals from the Heart dinners are served at 6.15pm on Tuesdays and Fridays. To allow enough meal preparation time, we request that you arrive by 4.30pm at the latest and start cooking!
We are located on Level 2 of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, Hospital Rd, Garran.
Once you arrive, please sign in with a staff member. You can also phone us when you're downstairs if you need help carrying the groceries!
Our number is 02 6281 5894.
What can I cook for the families?
Menu suggestions
Our kitchen will have most things you need to prepare your meal. We have two microwaves, two ovens with separate grills, as well as two large induction cooktops.
Main meals, side dishes and desserts are popular with our families. Please aim to provide more than one main dish and include vegetarians in your planning.
We don’t often have many children in our House, so please check with us before catering specifically for children.
Please note we are a dry house, so no alcohol is allowed.
When cooking in our kitchen, please make sure you follow ‘Safe Food Handling Practices’. For more information please refer to the following document: https://health.act.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-09/Food%20Safety%20Guide.pdf
Main dish suggestions
- Roasts
- Mexican nights
- Pasta dishes
- Curry night
- Pizza night
- Hot dogs
- Hamburgers
- Casseroles
Side dish suggestions
- Salads
- Rice dishes
- Potatoes (mashed, baked, or chips)
- Bruschetta
- Fresh bread/dinner rolls
- Garlic bread
- Vegie kebabs
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Roast/steamed veggies
Please note: soup is not very popular with our families.
Dessert
- Fruit/cheese platter
- Muffins
- Cakes/cupcakes
- Apple pie
- Fruit salad
- Brownies/cookies
- Pavlova
- Ice cream & toppings
- Puddings
Can I bring drinks?
Please note we are a dry house, so no alcohol is allowed.
You may bring drinks such as fruit boxes/poppers, cans of soft drink and bottles of juice.
Can I cancel my booking?
You can cancel your booking online up to 14 days ahead of your scheduled visit.
If you wish to cancel on a short notice (anytime from 24 hours to 14 days before your scheduled visit) we request that you please notify a team member directly by emailing us on events.canberra@rmhc.org.au or by calling us on 02 6281 5894.
If you're cancelling your booking, we request you to make a donation so that we can buy meals for our families instead. Visit this page to donate.
Who do I contact for further questions?
Please email our Ronald McDonald House Canberra team on events.canberra@rmhc.org.au or give us a call on 02 6281 5894 for more information.
When and Where Do I Report on the Day of My Booking?
Meals from the Heart dinners are served at 6:15 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays. To allow enough meal preparation time, we request that you arrive by 4:30 pm at the latest and start cooking!
Participants are required to stay until food service and clean-up of the kitchen are completed, usually by 7:00-7:15 pm. Time commitment for Meals from the Heart is usually about three hours from arrival to pack-up and clean-up. A volunteer is on hand to advise and assist.
We are located on Level 2 of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, Hospital Rd, Garran. Once you arrive, please sign in with a staff member. You can also phone us when you're downstairs if you need help carrying the groceries!
If you have any questions, please contact us at 02 6281 5894 or email events.canberra@rmhc.org.au. We look forward to welcoming you to the House!
After You Have Made a Booking
Once you've made your booking, don't forget to make a financial donation to confirm your group's participation in the program.
To comply with our Safeguarding Children Policy, all members of your group (Meals from the Heart Volunteers) must register before your scheduled date.
After booking your cooking date, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to an online registration form. All participants must read the Group Volunteering Guidelines and agree to them in the online registration form at least 48 hours before your booked date. We will also send periodic reminders with relevant information.
Please check your junk folder if you did not receive the booking confirmation email from events.canberra@rmhc.org.au.
If you need to cancel your booking for any reason, please notify us at least 14 days in advance. If you must cancel at short notice, we request that you make a donation to sponsor a meal, so families don't need to worry about cooking.
Payment Information
After you've booked your preferred date for cooking, please use the form below to make a donation towards the Program to confirm. If you're a community group, you're not required to donate.
Got questions? Contact us:
Ronald McDonald House Charities ACT & South East NSW
PO Box 635, Mawson, ACT 2607, Australia
Phone: (02) 6281 5894
Email: events.canberra@rmhc.org.au
Ronald McDonald House Charities Australian Capital Territory & South East NSW is a charity registered by the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission, and endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) by the Australian Taxation Office. The Charity's ABN is 28 589 286 011 (registered on ACNC as "Canberra and South East NSW House Inc).
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