A Janet of all trades
Retiree bakes, cooks, cleans and makes coffee for family of sick children
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Janet Adam enjoys being in the kitchen so much that family members have quipped she may need help.
“My daughter always says I should go to a support group because I bake so much,” Adam jokes.
Adam channels that love for baking into her volunteer work at the Ronald McDonald House Family Room in the Children’s Hospital.
Operated by Ronald McDonald House Manitoba, the 3,500-square-foot space operates daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s open to all families with pediatric patients, and is meant to be a warm, comforting place where they can rest and take a break from the hospital environment.
Adam volunteers every Monday morning by baking cookies and muffins. The 68-year-old Charleswood resident also welcomes visitors and serves them breakfast.
“For some of them it’s a really sad time for them, so you want to help them get what they need,” she says.
The space includes three rooms that offer overnight accommodations for families of children who are in critical situations. There are also showers for visitors to use.
Adam found out about it from her niece, who used the family room when her daughter was a patient in the pediatric ICU. She noticed a number of women baking and thought her aunt might like to get involved.
When Adam was a child, her mother ran a catering business and was often cooking and baking.
“That was something that was always in our family,” she says. “(Baking has) kind of been a lifelong love of mine.”
Adam started volunteering at the family room in June 2019, a couple of months after retiring from a four-decade career with a bank.
In addition to baking, Adam helps prepare lunch, assists with light housekeeping and cleans laundry for visitors.
Some Mondays, she helps with the Cart with a Heart, a mobile hospitality cart program operated out of the family room.
Adam and other volunteers take the cart to all units in the Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit. They serve coffee and refreshments to caregivers who are at the bedside of pediatric patients.
Volunteer opportunities
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to wfp.to/volunteers or call 204-477-5180. A blog post at wfp.to/iOu contains more information on how to spread kindness this holiday season.
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to wfp.to/volunteers or call 204-477-5180. A blog post at wfp.to/iOu contains more information on how to spread kindness this holiday season.
Misericordia Health Centre needs recreation therapy volunteers to help staff members with pre-planned activities such as singalong, bingo and trivia. The duties include assisting participants and encouraging participation. Volunteers also escort clients to other units within the building. Volunteers must be able to work with clients experiencing complex care needs, and be interested in health care and the benefits of recreation. Daytime shifts are available on six-month terms for people 16 and older. The current openings are 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Email malberto@misericordia.mb.ca by Jan. 10.
A variety of roles for Manitoba Band Association festivals have yet to be filled. The Concert Band Festival is happening Feb. 17 to Feb. 20, while the Jazz Band Festival runs from March 4 to March 6. The Level One Festival in Winnipeg is from April 20 to April 24, while the Level One Festival in Brandon is from April 28 to April 29. Apply at wfp.to/iOL.
Together Project is seeking Somali-speaking volunteers for the Welcome Group Program, which connects refugee newcomers and volunteers. Anyone with questions can contact Manitoba programs lead Alejandra Reverditto Galvez at alejandra@togetherproject.ca or 431-557-7852. Apply at wfp.to/iOa by March 1.
March of Dimes Canada needs digital fundamental support coaches for its SkillingUp program. This program helps people with disabilities across Canada become engaged in the digital world and build related digital skills. Volunteers will provide remote assistance so people can understand, access and use the technology. The amount of support required, and the cadence of sessions, will be based on the service user’s technology goals. Coaches can take on several matches lasting from one session to several weeks. Volunteers must have basic tech knowledge, access to a personal computer equipped with a camera and speaker/microphone as well as a stable internet connection, and a quiet work environment to ensure privacy and no interruptions or distractions. They must also have excellent communication skills, patience and willingness to learn about various disabilities and barriers. Apply at wfp.to/ilG by Dec. 31.
The Salvation Army Southlands Community Church needs volunteers for its annual Christmas kettles campaign. They help greet the public, thank donors and share the holiday spirit while raising funds for community programs. Apply at southlands.kettles@salvationarmy.ca or 204-399-6259 before Wednesday.
The Canadian Red Cross Society needs volunteers in Manitoba for programs such as Smart Start and Disaster Risk Reduction. These roles involve leading sessions on climate change and emergency preparedness, and require effective communication skills and cultural sensitivity. Volunteers might also join the emergency responder and personal disaster assistance teams to help during disasters. Training and background checks are mandatory. This opportunity offers experience in public speaking and crisis management. Send a resumé to SmartStart@RedCross.ca by Dec. 31.
Age & Opportunity senior immigrant settlement services is seeking culturally sensitive volunteers who enjoy working with older adults in their English Language Program for Seniors classroom. They are needed for at least two hours per week and will help students with activities, including small group work and other learning activities. They will also help the teacher by working one-on-one or with small groups of students. Excellent English communication skills are needed. Apply at MKapoor@aosupportservices.ca or 204-956-6440 by Dec. 31.
Operation Red Nose has driving and headquarters roles to fill. Drive team volunteers work in teams of three to provide safe rides, while headquarters volunteers handle registration, team formation and dispatch. Apply at wfp.to/rednose by Jan. 1.
Special Olympics Manitoba is recruiting volunteers for three new Winnipeg Active Start 12-week programs supporting young children with an intellectual disability. Volunteers must be 14 or older. Email Nicole Griffo at ngriffo@specialolympics.mb.ca by Jan. 30.
The Canadian Cancer Society invites students to join the Relay for Life student leadership opportunity. It is a chance to inspire change within schools nationwide. Students support people living with cancer and honour those lost while fundraising for research and treatment improvements. Students ages 13 to 17 can gain leadership skills and strengthen school unity. Relay for Life offers entertainment, games and food. Monthly planning starts in February, leading to the main event in May or June. The time commitment is three to five hours monthly, increasing to eight to 10 hours closer to the event. Apply at wfp.to/relayforlife, brooklyn.kamphuis@cancer.ca or 368-887-0884 by Jan. 31.
Making the rounds can take more than three hours.
“I like to do it because you get to see the patients and families, but you also get to see the doctors and nurses and everyone else involved at the hospital,” Adam says. “I really quite enjoy the cart. The biggest benefit is you get all your exercise in in one day because it’s a lot of walking.”
Adam also volunteers from time to time at Ronald McDonald House, which is located two blocks from HSC at 62 Juno St. The 60,000-square-foot house is a “home away from home” for rural Manitobans and out-of-province families whose children require treatment in Winnipeg.
Adam, a grandmother of six, occasionally makes meals for families who stay at the house.
She and her three sisters also organize a two-day scrapbooking event that raises funds for Ronald McDonald House Manitoba. Around 90 scrapbookers attended the third annual event, which was held in September at Varsity View Community Centre. They raised more than $12,000 for the charity.
“I always feel so blessed that I can volunteer at a place where there are so many opportunities,” Adam says.
Ronald McDonald House Manitoba supported more than 1,600 families last year, the charity’s 2024 annual report says. The house and family room supported almost 11,000 nights of accommodations, saving an estimated $3.5 million for families coping with childhood illness and injury.
To learn more or make a donation, visit ronaldmcdonaldhousemanitoba.ca.
If you know a special volunteer, email aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca.
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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