Community donations collected during a monthlong Lehi Free Press drive were delivered to the Ronald McDonald House Family Room at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital’s Miller Family Campus, according to a October 13 report. The drive, which concluded Oct. 1, provided essential items to help families of hospitalized children eat, rest, and remain near their child's care.
At its Lehi office, the Lehi Free Press collected new toys, games, crafts, stuffed animals, and blankets. The donation also included personal-care items, packaged snacks, paper plates, bowls, and disposable forks and spoons.
Ashley Parks, community engagement manager for Ronald McDonald House Mountain West, stated the organization is grateful for the Lehi Free Press assistance, noting the organization does not have a budget for advertising. Parks explained that these donations allow the organization to spend less on everyday supplies and direct more of its budget toward supporting families.
The Lehi Family Room is located on Level 3 of the hospital and serves approximately 3,000 families each year. The facility has an annual operating cost of about $400,000.
Free amenities available to caregivers include four overnight guest rooms, napping rooms, showers, laundry facilities, a kitchen, a dining area, living and meeting spaces, and computers. The room is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The need for support continues even after the conclusion of the charity drive. Parks noted that the organization requires volunteers to provide meals year-round, with 2027 dates already available for scheduling. She indicated that summer can be an especially slow period for volunteer participation, despite the continuous needs of families.
Community members can continue to donate food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, paper products, family entertainment items, and new food. Donations may be dropped off at the Family Room on Level 3, 2250 N. Miller Campus Drive, Lehi, between 9:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Through the Together at the Table program, groups of up to eight people can prepare and serve breakfast, lunch, or dinner for approximately 30 people. Food must be store-bought, catered, or prepared in the on-site kitchen, as home-prepared food cannot be served. Smaller groups may also prepare bake cookies or grab-and-go snacks in the Family Room kitchen.
