"Ugh, I Can't Believe I Hadn't Done This Sooner": How Volunteering Taught Kelsey to Be Grateful

"It was more about actually having a home away from home."

This post is presented in partnership with ImpactPay.

Charities often thrive off the hard work of volunteers; people who selflessly dedicate themselves to helping others in need and expect little in return.

Kelsey is one of those people. The 21-year-old has been volunteering at Ronald McDonald House for about a year-and-a-half and she's learned a lot in that time.

"Once I actually started here, I found out how much more it was than just accommodation," Kelsey explains to Student Edge.

"It was more about actually having a home away from home."

Ronald McDonald House Charities offer families with seriously ill children a bed to rest on and some friendly faces to speak to. The Greater Western Sydney chapter is just one of the charities that ImpactPay—a new debit card that aims to create social change —allows you to donate to with every purchase you make.

"It's really lovely to see the families in the house with a smile on their face," Kelsey says.

To get involved, Kelsey just rang up RMHC and told them she wanted to be a part of the work they do. She went and got criminal record and Working With Children checks, completed a few training modules and she was in.

She now dedicates a Monday morning every week to helping out at Ronald McDonald House in Greater Western Sydney. She takes care of housekeeping duties, which includes tidying up rooms and keeping the kitchen area tidy for new arrivals.

"Obviously, [these families are] going through such a tough time, so it is really nice to see if you can help them in any sort of way," Kelsey explains.

"You can see how much it helps and how much they appreciate it."

Some of Ronald McDonald House's housekeeping volunteers.

Kelsey says it only takes a few hours out of her working week, but those few hours can make such a huge difference.

"We had a big Christmas party at the house, which was on Christmas Eve," Kelsey recalls.

"That made me realise that [for] some of these families their Christmases, their birthdays, everything like that is [spent] away from their families.

"The kids just want to have fun, the kids just want to be kids."

Starting at Ronald McDonald as a 19-year-old has taught Kelsey to be "very grateful for what I have in my life."

But even Kelsey admits she didn't join straight away and pondered on the idea for a while.

"I thought about it for a while and was like 'Do I really want to do this?'" Kelsey says.

"When I started I was like, 'Ugh, I can't believe I hadn't done this sooner.'

"It is one of the greatest things I have ever decided to do."

If you're interested in helping out at a Ronald McDonald House near you, visit their website to find out what you need to do.

Psst. If you're looking for an easier way to donate, learn all about our mates at ImpactPay, who help young people "be good" and "do good" with their money and contribute to charities through "micro-giving". (That means donating 10c with every tap.) It's free to sign-up, and you can even choose the charities you want to receive your donations. It’s time to HumanUp. Tap & Give. Find out more.

Header Image: Supplied