Prepare a Meal

Calling all Meal Groups - We need you to cater!

Our families look forward to a home-cooked meal after a long day at the hospital. However, our kitchen is being remodeled at the Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City and is out of service and our Family Rooms are still for patient families only. We are looking for groups, families, churches, or individuals are willing to cater meals for our families in any of our three locations: Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City; Ronald McDonald Family Room at UnityPoint St. Luke’s in Cedar Rapids; and Ronald McDonald Family Room at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. Interested in providing a catered a meal for our families? Click the button below.

Here's what you need to know:

Dinner is served at 5:30 pm each evening. Currently meals are packaged into individual servings for our families. Once the meal is packaged, our staff will monitor and put away any leftovers for families to enjoy later.
For the House, please provide enough for 50 people. For either of the Family Rooms, please provide enough for 35 people.
When you select your date, please look at what other groups are providing so we don’t have the same meal twice a week. Your menu does not need to meet any particular dietary restriction.
Sorry, due to food safety guidelines, we cannot serve food already prepared at home. Food must be prepared in a commercial kitchen.
Please email your menu to VolunteerCoordinator@rmhc-eiwi.org prior to your scheduled date.
Still want to have that in person experience, consider volunteering at the House for the same night you provide a meal. Groups of up to 10 are welcome at the Ronald McDonald House (over 14 and COVID Vaccinated). We have a list of chores that we always need help with!

Where do we park?

Ronald McDonald House, 730 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City.

Parking near the Ronald McDonald House is limited and strictly enforced by the University of Iowa. We have a few designated volunteer parking spots in the RMHC parking lot. If those are full, please park in the designated visitor stalls of the Carver Hawkeye Arena Lot a (You will need to download the Passport Parking App from UI parking) if you will be arriving before 4:30 pm. If you will be arriving after 4:30 pm or providing a weekend meal, you may park anywhere in the Carver Hawkeye Arena Lot for free.

Ronald McDonald Family Room at St. Luke’s, located within the Helen G. Nassif Center for Women’s and Children’s Health located at 150 11th St. NE in Cedar Rapids.

Free parking is available in the surface lot or parking ramp immediately across the street. Everyone from your group will need to check in at the front desk within the lobby on the main level. Once checked in, you will be able to take the elevator to the second floor where the Family Room is located. Take a left off of the elevator and then take a right at the nurses’ station. The entrance to the Family Room will be on your right where you can check in with the Family Room staff.

Ronald McDonald Family Room at the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, 200 Hawkins Drive, located on the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit on the 3rd floor.

We suggest parking in Ramp 2 (underground ramp) and take the South parking elevator to Ground floor, then take the Children’s Hospital elevators up to the 3rd floor. The Family Room is on the left after you are admitted on to the floor. Cost of parking will depend on your length of stay.

Thank you again for your interest in donating your time, effort and talent to cook for our families. Your kindness helps us keep families close to each other and the care they need, when they need it most.

Questions?

Ronald McDonald House of Iowa City: Family Program & Volunteer Coordinator, 319-356-4417.

Ronald McDonald Family Room at St. Luke’s: Lynn Butterbrodt, Family Room Coordinator, 319-369-5192.

Ronald McDonald Family Room at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital: Nikki Hines, Family Room Manager, 319-678-5195.