For many families, a place to sleep, enjoy a meal and feel safe is not always a guarantee. Each night, the Roanoke House run by Ronald McDonald House (RMH) provides affordable, temporary housing for up to 44 families caring for ill or injured children. One of those children is 15-year-old Martisha. Diagnosed with kidney failure at 6 years old that led to heart failure, she goes to dialysis three hours at a time, five days a week. Because her dialysis treatment is far from home, she and her family are waiting on a dual organ transplant at this home away from home.

Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) works every day to make a difference in our community. In 2018, this mission extended beyond organ and tissue donation. DNA’s Community Involvement Committee had a huge impact on the Phoenix Valley during their first year. The committee focused on helping children, veterans, homeless and our environment. Together the committee selected charities to partner with and implemented some programs of their own.

Competing for a Cause

The most successful drive came from a competition among employees during Donate Life Blue and Green week in April 2018. Staff were split into two teams, determined by their last name. Team Blue and Team Green went head-to-head to collect the most water bottles. Cases filled DNA’s lobby, and each day the competition grew. By the end of the week, nearly 9,500 water bottles were accumulated and donated to Phoenix Rescue Mission. And for the record, Team Green was victorious!

The Community Involvement Committee filled the rest of the calendar with other drives and activities to give back. Over 65 backpacks were filled with school supplies and donated to Pappas School. Staff filled two car trunks full of snacks for the children at Childhelp and created sensory boards for their office.

 

The Comforts of Home

DNA also partnered with RMH in several capacities during 2018. The committee placed pop tab collection jars in DNA’s breakroom, and donated several gallon bags of pop tabs. The pop tabs are the heaviest part of the can and are turned into cash through scrap metal donation. DNA employees also cooked three meals for families staying at RMH. These meals not only feed the families but also provide the comfort of a home-cooked meal. Lastly, DNA employees remodeled one of the rooms at the Roanoke House. In addition to purchasing new linens and decorations, DNA updated the bathroom with a new countertop, fixtures and lights. A closet remodel improved the storage space for families.

Throughout the Community Involvements Committee’s inaugural year, DNA staff were able to donate items and time to help those around us. From making sure a child has supplies for the new school year, to providing comfort to families waiting on an organ transplant, our employees embraced the opportunity to give generously.