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SkiP HappEns Podcast
Christmas in July: A Lifeline for Families with Sick Children
Good morning and welcome to the Inner Harbor Media Community Connection. My name is Skip Clark and I've got to say this morning we're shining a light on a local organization that plays a vital role in supporting families with seriously ill children. I'm talking about the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York as their annual Christmas. I love this Christmas. In July, donation drive kicks off and the need for community support is more urgent than ever. And joining me now is Nicole Popolosky. She is the Director of Operations at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY and to talk about the drive, how it impacts families in need and how you can get involved. I love this, nicole. Thank you so much for joining us this morning. Thank you, thank you for having me. Absolutely love this, nicole.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for joining us this morning, thank you, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Let's kick it right off. Can you explain the purpose of the Christmas in July donation drive and how it supports the families that you serve?
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and July is really our push to help us get through the summer months and the times when we're really seeing larger numbers in families and support systems. Siblings are out of school, so we're seeing a lot more children in the house and we're really looking for the items that they're going through just like you would at home the snack items, the K-cups for coffee, trash bags to go, coffee cups, paper towels, other products like that, grab-and-go meals and snacks that are individually packaged, just as you're going through them a lot at home.
Speaker 2:During these summer months, we're seeing our pantry items diminish a lot faster as well and it's just really our, our push to the community that we rely on so heavily to help these families with critically ill children that are going through these traumatic times in their lives and really need the help to lift the burden from them and their financial costs as they try to help their children.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that. How did the idea for Christmas in July originally come about and how has it evolved over the years?
Speaker 2:Well, it really came about because we realized these summer months just like at home, as I said is really when we're going through these items the fastest and how can we do something that is fun and involve the community, that the kids at the house also like to see and participate in, and really restock what we're missing Throughout the years. It's really evolved. We now have a lunch that we serve as well for anyone coming to donate anytime between 11 am and 1 pm on that day. A lot of donors are coming during their lunch break and we appreciate that and know that they need to eat as well, so we've really turned it into an actual event as well as a donation drive for the house.
Speaker 1:Now, just in case somebody does not know what is that day.
Speaker 2:That day is July 23rd and we are outside accepting donations from 10 am to 4 pm. You can drop off donations outside of that window as well. That's just when we're really outside and we're prepared to take the bulk of the donations. And we also are able to accept donations from anywhere outside of the area or individuals who are not able to get to the house. We have an Amazon wishlist that the items will ship directly to us at the house. I love that. So if you're not able to get out of work or to get to the house, you can go onto our website and we have our general wishlist, but we also have an Amazon wishlist that ships directly to us.
Speaker 1:Makes it so easy? Huh, it does.
Speaker 2:Yeah absolutely.
Speaker 1:Let's talk a little bit about the impact and demand. I did my homework, by the way. Last year, apparently, there was a 21% increase in families served and a 46% increase in nights stayed at the Ronald McDonald House. What do you think is driving that growth?
Speaker 2:Yes, we are definitely seeing an increase.
Speaker 2:I think you know, as long ago as COVID may seem, the medical community has really changed and changed the way that they're handling things and processing things and these families are now starting to really come back and starting to need to stay longer for treatment.
Speaker 2:During COVID and things, it was very in and out and people were trying to just get here, get their medical procedure done and go home. In and out and people were trying to just get here, get their medical procedure done and go home. Now they're really coming for procedures and when they're coming for treatments of different things, they're looking to stay locally instead of traveling back and forth and limit that expense. So we're seeing a lot more families also coming the night before an appointment. If they have a 8 am appointment with a young child and they live two hours away, it's a lot easier and a less burden for them to come, stay with us the night before, get the child up and get them to the hospital for their appointment than it is to wake them up at four or five in the morning and start driving.
Speaker 2:So we're really seeing people. I think just the comfort level and the medical community itself has changed and people are really just starting to need us more.
Speaker 1:I get it, Totally get it. And we all know, you and I both know that the rising cost of everyday goods, it just keeps going. And how is the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY? How are you managing the increased demand and higher expenses?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Food insecurity is something that we're really focused on and that we're seeing a lot. We are looking for gift cards for different items you know Target, walmart, amazon so that we can keep things stocked and things that families don't have. We're able to provide that as well. We're also continuing to grow our program and really talk to the families and find out what it is that they're needing and making sure that we're sending them home with items that they might need or that they don't have at home. We're making sure that the pantry is constantly stocked so that when they're going up for these procedures, they can bring food with them instead of buying food at the hospital, which can be costly. So we're really trying to make sure that we're supporting them any way that we can and and and providing them, even after they go home with you know, a first breakfast and a lunch just to kind of help them as they transition back home as well and again.
Speaker 1:This morning we're talking to nicole populoski. She's the director of operations at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY and Nicole, is it possible to share a story or example of maybe a family that was positively impacted by this initiative?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. You know we see families all the time that come in and they need us and they often tell us they don't know what they would do without us. But when you're there and you're seeing it, it really makes an impact. Recently we had a child going through an oncology treatment and she had some siblings that were in and out of school and during their breaks they could come down and stay with her and they could all stay together and we were able to keep grandma here and also all of her siblings and you know, make sure that they were fed and make sure they had school supplies that they needed and and really create a fun atmosphere to the best of our ability so that they felt like they were really at home together and building those memories and not missing out on their time with their siblings. And she went through her treatments and is now cancer-free and you know they really thank us for the time that they were able to be together.
Speaker 1:So awesome. Ring that bell, right. Ring the bell, that's right. You may have mentioned this a little bit earlier on in this conversation, but what are the most urgently needed items on the wish list for this year's event? July 23rd, Christmas in July. Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY. What are some of the most needed items?
Speaker 2:Absolutely the most needed items that we seem to go through at a rapid rate are the grab-and-go items, so individual bagged chips, breakfast items, snacks.
Speaker 2:What we're seeing is that people are taking them to the hospital with them, taking them home with them when they leave, because they need them at home as well. K-cups we go through quite quickly, as you can imagine a parent that is looking for coffee to keep themselves going. And then the other thing that we really try to push for is the gift card the Target, walmart, amazon. We can then go out and purchase whatever we need throughout the year. If there's a child that is going through a treatment and they only want orange Jell-O we're going through a treatment and they only want orange jello we're going to go out and buy them orange jello and those gift cards give us the ability to do things like that. So you know, the items are huge, but the gift cards really come in handy when we have a specialty need or when we're running low on something throughout the year to give us the ability to go out and grab it.
Speaker 1:You know it's all year round that you need these items, but more so this is the time of the year where you put on the drive and you really stock those shelves in hopes of the, you know, the public helping out here a little bit Pretty, pretty simple, straightforward question. I already, I think I already know the answer. But why is it important that all donations be new and unopened?
Speaker 2:Yeah, to safeguard our families, we follow hospital guidelines as well. Our families are critically ill, so we're very specific and careful about what we take. Everything must be new and unused Food items, obviously unopened opened. The community that we're serving has low immunity and are obviously critically ill. That's why they're staying with us, so everything coming in needs to be new and unused so that we can keep them safe.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Now you talk about, you know, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York, but what is Central New York? What area do you cover?
Speaker 2:we serve quite a broad area. So our cross NICU is a level four NICU. So 50% of our stays are NICU and they come from all over Northern New York, down towards Binghamton, over to Utica, over towards Rochester anywhere really and then from Golisano side and um our clinics and st joe's. They all come from the same areas as well, um, but but we really reach all the way up, you know, messina, and up to the canadian border and then south towards binghamton as well. So I love that, the broad area that we serve.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. How can schools, businesses, other organizations get involved with supporting this drive?
Speaker 2:Great question. So they can start a drive, your business, schools can do a wishlist drive and put a collection area together so that employees or students can bring in items and drop them off, and it's a fun way. It's a fun way to, you know, collect and then send someone over to drop them off on that day or arrange any other day with us. You know, we're obviously willing and able to take them at any point, but it really can be a fun team effort to put it together with a school or a business.
Speaker 1:And this is all coming up on July 23rd. Let's say I want to bring something down. Where do I go?
Speaker 2:So you would bring it right to the house at 1100 East Genesee Street, memphis, syracuse. It's very close to the hospital. We will be outside and ready to take those donations. We can give tours and and really, if there's children or, you know, students or Girl Scout troops, things like that, sports teams. We really like to involve the kids and teach them about what we do and show them the house. So it really can be a great opportunity to really get kids involved and teens involved and teach them what is going on in their community and what these children are fighting and how we help. So it really can be a great opportunity for any type of event like that.
Speaker 1:I love it. I'd love to be a part of this. So how has you talked about the amazon wish list, and so many different organizations are jumping on board with that. Uh, how has that expanded your reach and made giving easier for people who can't drop off in person?
Speaker 2:you know, it's really been wonderful and, like like you had asked earlier, and we have said, our you know area that we serve is very broad.
Speaker 2:So we get a lot of families from Fort Drum and up north and they will have friends and family call us and say how can we help? You know we're two hours away but we really want to help and we update our Amazon wish list almost daily. Whenever we're running low, I hop on there and I pop something on that we might need. So these families and these family members that are further away that really want to help, they can send items right to us and it's exactly what we need, because I've gone on and I've kicked out, you know, this is the type of coffee we need, or these are the cups we need, and it really has made, you know, this connection just so much easier for us and it really has made these family members and these donors who really are looking to help but aren't physically close by or aren't able to get to us, really a possibility and it really has been instrumental in helping us.
Speaker 1:It's almost like having family out of town when it comes to birthdays and Christmas and all that good stuff. And you look at their wish list it's the same idea. It's the same idea.
Speaker 2:It is the same exact thing, yeah.
Speaker 1:I love that. I love that. It makes it really simple too. We've been chatting with Nicole Populosky. She is the director of operations at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY. You know, beyond this drive, what other ways can people support?
Speaker 2:uh, ronald mcdonald house charities throughout the year. Yes, so we do have on different events throughout the year. We have a golf tournament, we have a gala in the fall, um, and you can go right onto our website and see all the information about events, um how to donate, how how to get involved. We're always looking for volunteers to come into the house and help us with baking and different things and keeping the house running and just being a familiar face to the families when they walk in. So you can go right on our website and see different ways to get involved, different ways to donate and different things that we're looking for and need.
Speaker 1:I love it. I love it. What, before we wrap this up this morning, what message would you like to share with the community as they consider contributing to this year's drive?
Speaker 2:Really just that you know we we really rely on our community and we really enjoy involving them and this is a very fun event and way for them to get involved and understand what we're doing and, at the same time, you know a way for us to fulfill a need that we have. That's so, you know, important to these families. That's so you know important to these families and just to really know that you're making a difference in these families' lives and helping them while they are taking care of their critically ill child.
Speaker 1:So very, very important. There's no doubt about that. This morning, we've been talking to Nicole Populosky. She's the Director of Operations and, by the way, before I let you go, what is your position? You are the director of operations, but what does that entail?
Speaker 2:yes, so it entails everything from the facility side to the guest service side and helping the families, and also to working with the hospitals and their social workers to make sure that these families know about us and have use for us. Down to you know, we have a toilet in 204 that's leaking you know, right, it really is a range of of multiple things you're that person I'm that person, you are, and you're blessed to be able to do a job like this and we thank you as part of the community.
Speaker 1:We thank you for doing what you're doing. Uh, again, it's christmas in july, it is on july 23rd. The location of the house is uh, give that to me again it's 1100 east genesee yes, okay, 1100 east genesee street uh, the 23rd july. It's coming up rather quickly, uh, between 10 and 4, you said you got. You got it Real quick. I just happened to think of this Any large items that you need? I mean, it's easy to give K-Cups and this and that, but what about large items?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so a great spot to look for those is on our Amazon wish list. We put things on there and hope that we'll get them and some large things that we're looking for this year. We'd like a projector screen so we could do movie nights outside, so things like that. When you look on the Amazon wish list, you'll see the larger items as well, in hopes that maybe groups will go together and join in and purchase something to help make a fun night.
Speaker 1:I love it. Nicole Populosky. She's the I'm not going to get this right Director of Operations. Ronald McDonald House. Charities of CNY. Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your busy day to enlighten us a little bit about what's going on Christmas in July, july 23rd, and I just want to say thank you for calling, thank you for being a part of the community and thank you for doing what you're doing.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. It means a lot.
