When junior Riley Erben was in the Lower School, she and her family would go to the Ronald McDonald House to volunteer. More recently, Erben picked up countless shifts over the summer to help give back to the community.

The Ronald Mcdonald House is a volunteer center. Its main mission is to help families in the community worry less about the financial burdens of having sick children. They are placed all over the world in order to help as many families in need as possible.

Over the summer, Erben took three 5-hour shifts every week. During those hours, she helped keep little kids company, did dishes, packed meals, and contributed to all sorts of cleaning. She said, “My favorite job to do would definitely be playing with the younger kids because I just love the little kids so much.”

Additionally, Erben enjoys doing volunteer work with other people. “Doing the shifts with friends or family just makes it more fun,” she said.

Erben thinks that volunteering is incredibly meaningful and that more people should do it, but “having the right mindset when you’re doing it is important.”

To help support families in need, look at this list.