n 1979, Alpha Delta Pi, a Panhellenic sorority with chapters all over the United States, adopted Ronald McDonald House Charities as their national philanthropy. Since 1982 when our Ronald McDonald House opened, Alpha Delta Pi has supported us financially by hosting numerous annual fundraisers and with thousands of dedicated volunteers throughout the years.

When Victoria Price joined Alpha Delta Pi in August 2013, she learned about RMHC and immediately connected to our mission. “Through Alpha Delta Pi, I found a love for and saw the importance of RMHC because of all the children and families who must relocate to receive treatment. The House is in such close proximity to the hospital allowing families to really stay close to their sick children, just as the RMHC motto states: keeping families close.”

While a member of Alpha Delta Pi, Victoria served as the Internal Philanthropy Chair for Alpha Delta Pi, organizing their annual fundraising events, as well as a volunteer at RMHC. At the House, she volunteered as a House Helper, Sweets & Treats Baker, Visiting Chef, and Administrative & Marketing Volunteer.

When asked why she continues to support RMHC, Victoria says, “There is nothing more special than knowing your actions and time significantly altered someone else’s life for the better, While medicine heals these sick kids, their family’s love and support is what helps them keep fighting.

As a child, the only people that could make me feel better when I was sick were my mom and dad. Keeping this in mind is what sparks my drive to volunteer because RMHC makes sure that children have their loved ones by their side during the scariest time in their lives.”

In May 2017, Victoria graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Relations and a minor in Agriculture and Natural Resource Ethics and Policy. Though her time volunteering at our House has come to an end, Victoria’s passion and love for our families will leave a lasting impact.

Whether it’s greeting folks at the front desk, cooking for our families, or doing miscellaneous jobs around the house, Cynthia Mingo does it with a smile. Cynthia began volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House 10 years ago after her church started collecting pop-tabs for RMHC. She saw the impact they were having, which inspired her to get more involved. She began organizing Visiting Chef days for her church, the AME Church, and she started volunteering as a Front Desk Volunteer. Cynthia still comes in every Tuesday for her shift, and her church cooks for the families through our Visiting Chef Program.

Though she started volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House 10 years ago, she has always had a passion for helping others and believes that it is her life’s purpose. Cynthia was born in Tallahassee, FL 2 months early and weighed only 2 pounds. She considers herself blessed to even be alive, and now she wants nothing more than to spend her free time helping people, as well as spending time with her husband and two kids.

The most meaningful part of volunteering to Cynthia is the interactions she has with the families. Cynthia says, “A small act of kindness is a small piece of the puzzle, but I believe that small piece is part of a bigger picture that can make a difference.” A small gesture to the families at the Ronald McDonald House can make all the difference, and that’s what Cynthia sets out to do every time she volunteers.

Our Elite Achievement Club is for those volunteers who have served our House for over ten years and dedicated over 500 hours of their time to our families. Dennis Jones is one of the few volunteers with this distinction. Since 2016, Dennis has been a committed and passionate volunteer at RMHC North Central Florida.

After living in Syracuse, NY for 35 years, Dennis, his wife Sharon, and their two best friends decided to retire. They wanted some place warm and sunny, with quality medical facilities, and in a college town with continuous learning opportunities and major sports. This led them to Gainesville, FL.

“When we retired, we knew that we wanted to get involved in volunteer activities. We were aware of RMHC and its mission and decided that RMHCNCF would be our charity of choice. We believe deeply in its mission and values, and we have found a truly caring and dedicated staff here,” says Dennis.

When Dennis started volunteering, over 11 years ago, he worked the Tuesday afternoon shift in the Ronald McDonald Family Room on the 10th floor of UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. He spent every week welcoming guests, comforting families, and making sure the Family Room was a place of respite in the busy hospital. After a few years

, Dennis began getting involved in fundraising efforts. After 11 years, Dennis still serves the families in the Family Room while also helping to organize our Red Shoe Affair Silent Auction and taking on any other odd jobs that pop up at the House.

“The best part of volunteering at RMHC is meeting the families – being there for them, through the good and the bad…and the sense of giving of yourself – just to help others. When you hear the gratitude from the families, you know you’re really making a difference.”