Formal
Proposal Assignment
By:
Danielle Townsend
The
Ronald McDonald House is a hotel like building that allows families who have
children receiving treatment at hospitals in Columbia to stay there for free.
The Ronald McDonald House provides each family with a room and a bathroom. The
house is stocked with all the necessities a family needs including food and
toiletries. There are also rooms including a TV watching room, library, and
living areas that many families can relax in and talk with other families about
their experiences. The Ronald McDonald House is fully equipped to care for
families who need somewhere to stay while their children are receiving
treatment.
Problem
The problem the Ronald
McDonald House is having is that there are too many families in need of a place
to stay while their child is receiving care at the hospital and not enough
supplies to take care of these families. The Ronald McDonald House has hosted over
1,600 kids and their families who have stayed about 21,000 nights since 2013.
That 63,000 meals per person! Food is not the only necessity the Ronald
McDonald House provides. Guests also need toiletries including shampoo,
conditioner, body wash, toilet paper, towels, deodorant, toothpaste, sanitary
pads, diapers, and wipes. The house also requires materials to clean up after
all of the guests such as laundry detergent, sponges, cleaner, Clorox wipes,
and glass cleaner. A ton of supplies are required to care for multiple families
in one big house. The Ronald McDonald House is a non-for-profit organization. It
receives no state or federal grants. They do not charge families for staying at
the house, meals, or amenities. Therefore, they must rely on generous donations
for all of their necessities. Ronald McDonald House workers are busy keeping up
with the house and do not have time to collect donations. Therefore, it is
necessary for people to generously give to the Ronald McDonald House and keep
this great organization going.
Proposed
Solution
I propose taking up a
collection of items the Ronald McDonald House needs and delivering them to the
Ronald McDonald House in Columbia. This will help stock up the house’s pantry
and provide for many family’s visit’s. I have placed donation boxes at both of
my local churches, city hall in Wyaconda, Shelter Insurance in Kahoka, and the
Memphis License Office in Memphis. In order to inform people of the collection I
have made calls in to the radio station KMEM, and I plan on making flyers to
disperse. I hope to collect at least
fifty items.
Justification
My proposal will help
many families have a clean place to stay when their children are sick and
receiving treatment from hospitals in Columbia, MO. These families will then be
better equipped both physically and mentally to care for their sick child. This
is very important because children rely on their families for support when they
are sick and families are not able to give adequate support when they are not
being supported themselves. Children will also be better prepared for doctor’s
appointments. Some families drive hours to appointments in Columbia and may
have to get up early to drive to the hospital. The Ronald McDonald House allows
these families to stay the night prior to the appointment so they do not have
to get up early and travel on the day of the appointment. This helps families
be better prepared for their appointment and they will not be as tired.
Families are also more alert and will better retain and understand the
important information a doctor tells them.
Families are able to
share their experiences with other families living at the Ronald McDonald
House. There are communal rooms such as the library, TV watching room, and
other living areas where families are able to hang out with other families.
Children and parents meet new friends at the house and are able to relate to
them. This allows families to feel like they are not alone in their situation
and realize that other families are having the same difficult issues. The
emotional support families receive is crucial to the overall attitudes the
family members have and therefore the emotional support the sick child is
receiving.
The Ronald McDonald House
is a lifesaver for all families who stay there but especially the ones who come
to stay on unexpected occasions. When a child becomes sick and requires an
unexpected emergency surgery or doctor’s visit the Ronald McDonald House is
able to quickly arrange for a stay. Families are able to rush to the hospital
and not worry about bringing anything with them. They can leave all of their
necessities at home because the Ronald McDonald House will provide for them.
The Ronald McDonald House
is also very important to all families who stay with them because families save
money that can go towards medical bills. Staying at a hotel can be expensive
for a family so staying for free at the Ronald McDonald house saves many
families money. Eating out every meal
can also be expensive so having the Ronald McDonald House provide all of the
family’s meals is a big help to families. This is especially important to
families with children who receive long term treatment. Some families stay at
the Ronald McDonald House for many months and could not otherwise afford to
seek medical care for their child. With medical bills piling up families can be
less stressed about their food and shelter expenses and focus on the well being
of their child.
It is important to donate
to the Ronald McDonald House because you never know when your family or a
family you know may be in the same situation as the families staying at the
Ronald McDonald House. Giving back also helps you feel good about yourself and
gives many people a sense of importance.
Based on all of these
reasons, I believe that the Ronald McDonald House is a great organization that
everyone who can should try and help out. Collecting donations helps fill a
drop in the bucket of the amazing things the Ronald McDonald House does.
Although donating does cost money it is well worth it when you think of all of
the good you are doing through this great organization and every donation, no
matter how big or small, helps.
Bibliography
“Ronald
McDonald House Charities of Mid-Missouri.” Ronald McDonald House Charities
of MidMissouri Home Page Comments, rmhcmidmo.org/.
