Home
Students Cook with Compassion Each Month
Broncos Serve Families at Ronald McDonald House Charities!
Montini Catholic students are honored to have an opportunity each month to prepare a home-cooked meal for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House near Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage House (CDH) in Winfield. All year long, the charity invites families, friends and groups to "get creative in the kitchen" to feed families of hospitalized children through their program called Meals from the Heart. Since families staying at a Ronald McDonald House are often far from the comforts of home, Bronco volunteers, under the guidance of Campus Minister, Michael Blanchette, have been happy to provide meals for them, allowing families to eat together without the stress of cooking or the expense of dining out. Blanchette schedules teams made up of two chaperones and up to six students to travel to Winfield one evening every month during the school year.
Tuesday, February 17th marked "Montini Meal Crew's" 7th trip of the school year. This time Bronco parents, Todd and Ximena Schumerth accompanied six students to prepare a delicious meal of Chicken Alfredo, asparagus, potatoes, fruit and brownies for dessert. The students are encouraged to take the lead - from selecting the menu to coordinating responsibilities, they prepare every detail in advance and donate all of the ingredients needed. "Each month our volunteers show up ready to work, eager to serve, and grateful for the opportunity to make a difference," said Blanchette. "It's really fun to put the meals together and the kids really seem to enjoy learning and cooking together," he added. "Sometimes we have a full house eating as soon as our meal is ready, and other times we're asked to pack the meal for families to grab as they arrive back at the house."
"Where there is love in action, there is God in presence," said Ximena (who is not only a Montini parent, but works as Assistant to Montini Catholic's President, Kevin Beirne). "Small acts of kindness become miracles in the lives of those who need them the most." Her daughter, Abriana who is a sophomore at Montini, truly enjoyed the experience. “Everyone was so welcoming and so very friendly and it was great working with students I didn't know as well. We all truly made it such a fun and fulfilling experience!"
Since 1977, Ronald McDonald Charities have kept families together with their hospitalized children through their Ronald McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Room programs, enabling families to "get better together. Families and friends who give their time to this cause are the ones who make it possible.
Image below:
l to r: The Anh Bon Pham '26, Adriel Garcia Olvera '27, Gavin Conway '27, Abriana Schumerth '28, Rosella Borjon '26 and Sophia Torres '26;
