Fonterra staff cook for families at Ronald McDonald House

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Fonterra staff traded spreadsheets for spatulas, heading into the kitchen to bake treats for 60 family members staying at Ronald McDonald House in Parkville, Victoria, while their children undergo life-saving treatment.

One of 15 centres around Australia, the Parkville house accommodates 52 families each night – giving priority to families from regional Victoria with seriously ill children needing treatment at the nearby Royal Children’s Hospital.

Being close to the hospital means that families don’t have to repeatedly make long distance trips across the state, sleep in waiting rooms, or worry about the financial burden of paying for accommodation.

Fonterra staff member, Viren Wijesinghe, said dairy is at the heart of our business and it was great that the team could help out as part of the Make-a-Meal programme, which provides an alternative for families who don’t have time to prepare food themselves.

“While some families stay at Ronald McDonald House just for one night, others may need to stay for much longer, which can cause a huge amount of stress for the parents and kids.

“The Make-a-Meal initiative helps to take some of the pressure off when they’ve got a lot more to worry about than what to cook for dinner,” said Viren.

The Fonterra team rolled up their sleeves to make corn fritters, cheesecakes, quiches and banana bread using Fonterra products and chipped in to help clean and tidy the pantries and the garden as part of a working bee.