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Final Learning Teams Fieldwork Project Reports

Learning Team Fieldwork Project Written Report: This Team Fieldwork Project document should be a typed professional written report in in PDF and Word format with a 1.5 max line space, a suitable font such as Times Roman or Calibri of 12 point maximum, and left, right, top, bottom margins of .8 inches maximum. 3 pages

Learning Team Fieldwork Project Executive Summary: This Team Fieldwork Project executive summary should be a 1 to 2 pages typed professional written executive summary in PDF and Word format with a 1.5 max line space, a suitable font such as Times Roman or Calibri of 12 point maximum, and left, right, top, bottom margins of .8 inches maximum

What I Learned About Myself

From the fieldwork done at Ronald McDonald’s house in Miami, I discovered that I loved to be of service to other people. The cleaning and cooking exercises that I carried out at the house gave me great satisfaction and joy. I also discovered that it feels really good to make a change in someone else’s life. This opportunity also brought out qualities I never knew I had before such as leadership and initiative. When one of my teammates was running late and the other one was pulled over, I managed to set up our working area and start on the required pizza preparation before they arrived.

In addition, the experience made me realize that I had really good interpersonal skills because I got along well with the staff members at Ronald McDonalds House even though I was new there. This was also evident when I was able to interact with some of the family members who we were helping out. The fact that the lady in charge of events planning agreed to put me on the volunteer’s team for subsequent activities also made me realize that I am highly reliable individual who has great potential in regard to giving back to the community and helping other people. This experience made me know that I am also a patient individual who can deal with children, especially the sick ones. For example, I was able to guide one child through the steps of pizza making.

Volunteering at Ronald McDonald’s house also made me want to offer my resources more to helping out people. It opened my eyes to the kind of good I would be able to do if I committed my resources and time to help out a worthy CSR plan. Initially, I had a very minimal knowledge of how the organization was run and administered. Being there with the affected families taught me a lot. It particularly taught me the importance of family staying together especially after being faced with a crisis such as the sickness of their child. Sharing stories with some of the parents whose children were undergoing medication was absolutely touching and inspiring. It taught me on the value of keeping up hope even in the edge of despair.

This community revealed to me that CSR was a worthy assignment to take on because it not only helps one to fulfil their society obligation, but it also enables another person to have a better kind of life because one individual who dares to contribute towards the sustenance of the house, ensures that a family will sleep better at night while being close to their sick child.

What I Learnt About Other People

By participating in this community service work, I discovered that many people would like to take part in programs that give back to society, the only problem is that they do not know how to apply to these programs as volunteers or donors. Most of them do not also have knowledge on the existence of these programs. I therefore, think that it is important for the coordinators of such programs to notify people in regard to the existence and ongoing activities of the program through platforms such as posters, Facebook or even Twitter. This activity also made realize that a lot of people view social responsibility as a measure that is taken by huge corporations and celebrities. Most of them are not aware that they can give back to the society as well even though they do not have tons of money. If this cycle were encouraged, it would mean that at no point in time should a family suffer just because their child is sick and hospitalized. Individuals should therefore reach out to help this kind of organizations, so that they can be able to access the same kind of services when they need them.

The fieldwork experience exposed me to a different environment in which a large number of people are struggling to meet some of their needs because their child is in hospitalized care. This made me realize that community members and the government are not really doing enough to help out these people. It taught me that everybody needs a little while sometimes when circumstances become unpleasant. In order to minimize the problem of such people in the community, programs such as reduced healthcare costs for children and greater benefits for employees who have children and increased government funding should be rolled out in order to enable such members of our society to continue living decently, while at the same time taking care of their sick child in hospital.

By talking to the family members that we were serving at McDonalds House, I discovered that people appreciate being listened to. Hearing the stories of the family members seemed to lighten a burden off their shoulders. Talking to someone else helped them to temporarily forget about the everyday challenges that they were facing in their lives. The one on one personal talk gave them hope that one day, their child would get well again and then they might resume their normal kind of life.

What I Learnt About Organizations

By engaging in the corporate social responsibility work, I got to understand why organizations such as MacDonald’s carry out CSR programs. Some do this to express their values, mission, and vision. Others undertake CSR programs as a means of giving back to stakeholders who they perceive to be generous while yet others undertake it to protect their long term business viabilities. Corporations also view CSR initiatives as a means to enhance their corporate image and create word-of-mouth awareness regarding their brand. Indirectly, this may lead to an increment in sales and an appreciation of the organization’s reputation. Businesses also undertake programs with the intention to give back to the community because they are afraid of community reactions such as demonstrations and boycotting of products if they fail to adequately service their social obligation to the community. If this is done, the firm may suffer huge losses because such actions may affect the company’s stock prices and shake investors’ belief in the company. This can also lead to a huge impression into the reputation of the company. By default, all these factors will come down to a reduced scale of sales for the company.

In addition, organizations use CSR measures to ensure that their operations do not threaten the lives of the community members within which they operate. Some firm’s such as Macdonald’s also use CSR measures to enhance employee’s perception of the organization. The employees therefore have a better attitude to the organization because they believe that the firm they work for is interested in other aspects of the community, other than just gaining profits. This also creates an environment of fairness and in return, employees enjoy greater levels of wellbeing. In return, the firm reduces the staff turnover and absence. Positive behaviors such as higher job satisfaction levels, lower emotional levels and lesser stress levels are also observed in organizations that incorporate employees in their social responsibility programs.

However, from my observations of the world today, I also realized that business firms especially those, which are medium sized in nature, might suffer financial impediments by taking part in corporate social responsibility. This is because CSR programs require the firm to allocate scares resources to a call that may never yield into any profits for the company. If the company has a weak financial status, its profits will be affected due to the expenditures in CSR. It is therefore important for companies to carry out socially responsible behavior that is also favorable to their sales. It is however wrong for organizations to carry out social responsibility measures only as a means of achieving profits at the end of it all.

All in all, firms should set up places such as the McDonalds House to cater for the needy among them. Partially, this enables the family members to have a somewhat normal kind of life. It also gives them hope that someday, they may get out of their current unpleasant situations. Such incentives also reduce the costs incurred by parents who may need to travel to and from home daily to go and visit their sick child.

Specific Corporate Social Responsibility Challenges Addressed Through My Service Work

The challenge addressed in my fieldwork involves caring for family members who have sick children. The Ronald McDonalds House provides free accommodation to families while their child is undergoing treatment. The family members may stay as long as they need to. This way, they are able to monitor the progress of their loved one while at the same time being involved in all the medical decisions that are required on taking care of their child.

Doing this greatly volunteer, reduces costs to be incurred by the family. It therefore helps the family members to get the resources and to ensure that their child receives the best treatment possible. This is because they do not have to worry about transport or accommodation costs because each family is given a place to stay until such a time when they no longer need to stay. Here, donors and volunteers help to keep the family members comfortable by providing the necessary amenities that are required in a normal home.

This environment ensures that the family unit continues to be together, because all of them come to support their sick child. It relieves their stress because at the end of the day, they have somewhere to sleep in and prepare their own meals, shower as well as change clothes, while at the same time being moments away from their child in case they are required to make quick medical decisions or if there is a notable change in the health of their child. The accommodation received by families at the hospitals ensures that they do not have to spend more money on accommodation. In addition, this center creates a platform within which families who have sick children can talk and encourage each other on various issues. They can also advise each other while still taking care of their child.

References

Ronal MacDonald’s House (2014). Home away from home. Retrieved from: http://www.rmhcofalbany.org/who-we-are-history.cmf

Ronald McDonald House

When we were assigned a fieldwork project in completing ten hours of social responsibility we found that The Ronald McDonalds house was the perfect fit towards. From many volunteer programs that they offer we chose to contribute through Adopt-A- Meal. We had divided our service into days offering a lunch and a dinner. Not only was it an overall success of learning the impact that could be made on people but the impact it was on us as volunteers. There are many things to be learned from an experience like this that could benefit a business in being socially responsible. It was interesting to see how a company addressed social problems through the service that they provide.

Organization

The Ronald McDonald House is a nonprofit organization amide in creating supports programs to improve health and the well being of children. It was formed in 1974 with support from Ray Kroc’s empire, and Gerald Newman, Chief Accounting Officer. Providing 322 Houses in 57 countries and regions for families to stay with hospitalized children who are receiving treatment. Through the support of the Ronald McDonald House they address the help needed in local and societal issues concerned to stakeholders of the communities where they operate. This proved a stringer community and improved on the loved of children and families.

Adopt A Meal

Ronald McDonald House provides many services to people in need. From several volunteer programs we chose Adopt-A-Meal. This is a program that allows people to come in and prepare a meal for families that are busy taking care of their children. This way they are relieved from the expense, energy and time of preparing a healthy, home-cooked meal.

Volunteers are able to choose in preparing breakfast, lunch or dinner. Following guidelines as to how you provide the meal. Volunteers are required to bring all serving utensils, ingredients, and prepare the food at the house. Precautionary measures have to be considered because some children have a low immunes system.

We had contacted the volunteer coordinator and arranged to dates to come in and prepare lunch and dinner. For both occasions we had to shop for the meal that we were to prepare.

Our first day volunteering we decided to make Pasta and Meatballs with garlic bread. We arrived at the Ronald McDonald house at 10:00 AM. We had all take part in preparing the meal by each taking charge of a designated task. We started by slicing the bread and applying butter and seasoning. Then we continued by making the meatballs and arranging them in a baking pan, this was followed by submitting the meatballs into a preheated oven to bake. We proceeded in arranging all the serving utensils and organizing what we would serve. When it was near serving time we stated cooking the pasta to ensure a fresh meal. When the pasta was ready me put everything together into a serving pan and mixed together with the tomato sauce. One of our teammates made the announcement of “ todays lunch is ready to serve courtesy of FIU “ and in minutes patient and parents were arriving to the kitchen.

People seemed very please with the overall experience of having a fresh home cooked meal. After everyone was done eating we commenced by picking up all the trays and plates and washing them. We organized all the cooking items that we has used and stored all the left over ingredients. We finished by putting all of the left over food in a container and left it in the kitchen for people to serve as they please.

Our second day volunteering at the Ronald McDonald house we decided to make pizza for dinner. We made preparation and divided all task as in the last meal we prepared. We had decided to an assortment of cheese, veggie, peperoni, and ham pizzas. He had to prep all the ingredients, from slicing the vegetables to making cubed ham. While preparing the meal we met Taylor and his mother, who were staying at the house. We invited him to make his own pizza, and told us about him self. He had come down from Tampa for treatment at the Jackson Memorial. This time around he had more of a chance to interact with the people that where staying at the house. We had served and pizza and invited everyone to eat. When finished we cleaned and organized everything as before.

What I learned from my self and others

I’m glad that the field project gave me the opportunity to be involved. I saw recognition in the families being grateful for the meal we prepared for them. This allowed me to learn that volunteering and giving back to the community can be very rewarding. This project also reflected light upon the great influence it can have on a group. As we worked together we were able to learn from each other, we could note afterwards each other’s abilities and compliment them with action to have a better alternative. A company by acting socially responsible can also benefit from this. While employees volunteer to better the community, they learn about them selves and their co-workers making them more efficient when on the job.

Improvements

The Ronald McDonald House hosts a great concept. The experience was perfect and I personally found no way of improving the experience. I do believe that through McDonalds resources could be expanded to more people in the community. They currently only cater to families with kids receiving treated at a hospital which could be allocated to other individuals such as the elderly. McDonald’s should use its marketing resources to amplify awareness to the volunteer programs that they offer.

Before this project I was unaware of the foundation that they had constructed or volunteer programs that they offer. What also could be developed is an analysis using McDonalds resources to measure impact that the Ronald McDonalds’ has on community. This way they can summon where potential areas could benefit from this program.

Reference

· "FOR HELPING FAMILIES FIND STRENGTH IN NUMBERS." Ronald McDonald House Charities. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://www.rmhc.org>.

· Ronald McDonald House Charities." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_McDonald_House_Charities>.

Fieldwork Project Report

Working with the Ronald McDonald Foundation was an extremely eye opening and fulfilling experience for me as a person. We not only got the incredible chance to cook for and feed impoverished and medically disadvantaged families but we got the opportunity to meet and associate with a great group of kind hearted, and good natured people, including the members of my own team! I arrived at the oddly shaped and fairly hidden building on my first visit not really knowing what to expect from the experience. The receptionist sent me to the top floor and I ran into some very nice ladies in the elevator who guided me to the kitchen. I was thoroughly impressed by the state of the art appliances, multiple work-stations and ovens and the overall homey feel of the entire floor. They had a large screen television in the living room with a huge bookshelf full of books I used to enjoy reading myself as a child. A man was watching soccer and when I attempted to have a conversation with him I realized he and a large number of other members living in the house were not of English speaking American decent. In fact, the majority of people we came in contact with in the house did not speak much English at all. This led me to the conclusion that immigrants with sick children are often in dire need of assistance and this particular corporate social responsibility objective was money well spent. I commend McDonald’s for creating and operating such a great cause because I could really see it making a difference in the lives of the people we met that day.

· One thing I can honestly say I learned about myself during this entire experience is how quickly I can integrate into a team of strangers if it is for a good cause. Initially I was skeptical about my team members since we were randomly assigned. I had no idea if they would have the same work ethic or desire to help people. Fortunately, my team was very welcoming and friendly and by the time the first Ronald McDonald visit arrived we were already very well acquainted and working well together as a team. We decided to prepare pasta and meatballs for our first trip. We worked so well together we finished cooking before it was even time to serve the food. Everything from the cheesy bread to the meat sauce came out perfect and it was all due to our teamwork. I think seeing people in need really propelled our work ethic to new heights and allowed us to click much faster than we would have if, for example, we were cooking for ourselves or meeting for a written assignment. Something about the positivity in the room kept a smile on all our faces, even while we were catering to others and cleaning up after them (something we are generally not used to doing). The first experience made me feel much better about myself and my ability to work well with my team for the remainder of the semester.

· I learned a valuable lesson about other people and the Ronald McDonald Foundation through our visits. The most memorable of these lessons is the impact that small gestures of kindness can have on others. This may be more of a reminder than a lesson learned but nonetheless it is an incredibly important lesson for any person to learn. On our second visit we decided to make pizza. We have a large number of pies, tomato sauces, and an array of pizza toppings. We each worked on a specific task and quickly we prepared a vast majority of the pizzas. As we were working a patient and his mother entered the kitchen with curious looks on their faces. The mother then exclaimed, “he was wondering if he could make a pizza.” Luckily, there was exactly one unmade pie left to be prepared so we offered to let the young boy make the last pizza. He introduced himself as Tyler and he was 15 years old. We began to laugh and joke and converse with him and his mother and after only a few minutes there was a noticeable glow on both of their faces. It was wonderful to see this young boy’s face light up at something as trivial as making pizza and meeting a few strangers. It was a real reminder that no good deed goes unnoticed and a small token of love can have everlasting effects. I got the chance to speak briefly with Tyler and his mother again and she continuously thanked us for what we did, even though it just felt like a natural response in that situation. I walked away from the experience thankful that we were given the opportunity (although it was for a grade) to spend some time helping those less fortunate and contribute to society in a positive way. I also learned that huge multinational companies are the perfect candidates for corporate social responsibility. For all the immeasurable negative consequences that McDonalds has caused over the past few decades they are still doing great work with the Ronald McDonald House Charity. With 300 chapters in over 60 countries, $200 million in donations and even a scholarship program, this foundation is leading the way when it comes to corporate social responsibility and charity work. This is a true example that it is never too late for a company to reevaluate the way it treats the people around it and the world. I am glad we contributed to this prestigious and well-respected organization of philanthropy.

· The specific corporate social responsibility challenge addressed through this service work is a very serious problem in today’s society. Impoverished, ill and vulnerable immigrants come to this country often to seek a better life and achieve the American dream. Instead of welcoming people less fortunate than us there seems to be an instinctive desire by many American’s (law makers especially) to reject these people. You would think a nation of immigrants would be a bit more sympathetic to the lives of others like them. Even once they are allowed into the country there is very little the system or government does to provide them with a decent education, affordable housing and healthcare or a fair shot at success. The Ronald McDonald Housing Charities certainly helps to fill the need for these basic necessities, or at least affordable housing and healthcare. The housing charities provide sick children and their families accommodations in the Ronald McDonald house, easy and affordable access to a hospital (which is walking distance from the entrance of the house) and a safe and positive environment for the children to progress in. Sometimes these patients are residents of other countries and are coming here to gain world-class medical attention. Everything from recreational activities and accredited educational programs to playrooms and a nice hot meal every night. You would be surprised what a home cooked meal could do for the spirit, as I found out from my friend Tyler. I think it is great that the Ronald McDonald Housing Charity Foundation is taking these matters into their own hands and making a difference in so many lives. I hope one day this kind of forward-thinking corporate social responsibility can influence an entire market of consumers to consider the importance of taking care of the most vulnerable members of our society and it becomes law.

· Assisting the Ronald McDonald Foundations was an amazingly fun and satisfying experience for me. Not just because we got to help people less fortunate than ourselves but because of the positive interactions and feedback I received from everyone I came in contact with. All of the people involved including my team, the receptionist, the janitors I met in the elevator, the people living in the house and my new friend Tyler were loving, welcoming and warmhearted. I am extremely happy we chose the Ronald McDonald house and I hope I will get the chance to return again soon.

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· References

· - http://www.rmhc.org/ronald-mcdonald-house, March 14th 2