Landon Borrego

I had the privilege of being a part of the team Ronald McDonald House Charities Detroit for a little over a year and a half. After my graduation from Michigan State University, I wanted a deeper understanding of what and who I wanted to work for, and this opportunity to volunteer happened to land in my lap that very Summer! It was my first time seeing how a non-profit works internally, and seeing our impact was so gratifying to me. Seeing how other people share their care through gifting toys for the children during Christmas, meals for the families staying at the House, or equipment donated to the House by global businesses, being proud of what I was apart of is an understatement.

As I kept volunteering, I wanted to take the next step, so I joined the Associate Board, a group of motivated young people who gave their spare time to support the House. We ran monthly meetings, planned quarterly fundraisers, and had a ton of fun doing it. I was later voted in as volunteering and fundraising chair, where I shared volunteer opportunities with members and tracked funds raised and hours volunteered.

When people ask what I miss most about the House, I can't pick just one thing. I loved cooking meals with a team and seeing residents' faces light up. I felt like family sitting in the common area, talking with residents and sharing food from their backgrounds. On House tours, I was proud to point out our playroom, donated entirely by the Detroit Red Wings, and our 28 rooms for families with a child receiving care at a nearby hospital. And nothing beat high-fiving a kid heading home after their sibling's successful procedure. You can see why it's hard to choose!

During my sophomore year of college, I joined a group of students on a seven-day study abroad trip to Mérida, Mexico, volunteering with communities across the city. My subgroup worked at Encavi, a local therapeutic center that cares for patients on the autism spectrum and patients with physical disabilities.

Every day when I arrived at the center, I was greeted with the sounds of the patients interacting with one another and the sights of learning circles and individual one-on-one care with specific patients. Although I was one of the students who was not fluent in Spanish, I still felt welcomed like family. Nonetheless, that gave me more reason to dig deeper and try to offer any support or positive energy that I can through means other than language.

The memory I carry most is a one-on-one session with a young man on the spectrum. His task was to fit shapes into their matching spaces, a fine motor exercise that builds hand-eye coordination and focus. Since I couldn't explain it in Spanish, I demonstrated when needed and leaned on animated gestures and big smiles. Every time he got one right, I celebrated as loudly as I could and talked to him the way I would with my friends back home. I'd give him a handshake, and he'd give me a hug. Watching him progress and match my energy felt like our city had just won a championship. Afterward, the service learning coordinator told me that in all his time at therapy, she had never seen him that excited or invested.