Nathan is a 9-year-old from Stittsville who has been volunteering and hosting fundraising events for Ronald McDonald House Ottawa since he was six. His big goal is to raise money to help kids and families stay close together when they’re going through the toughest time of their lives.
Since 2013, Nathan’s Grandfather—Danny Baldwin—has been a Ronald McDonald House Board member and has most recently been chairing the $25M expansion project to increase capacity for families in need.
Nathan’s Grandmother—Bonny Baldwin—is also a dedicated weekly volunteer at the House, helping with laundry, stocking shelves, and anything else that’s needed.
Since Nathan was a baby, he had been attending events with his grandparents and had the opportunity to engage with staff and many of the kids staying at the House. In 2023, Nathan decided to run his first charity lemonade stand in his driveway (in the rain!) to raise money for families to stay at the House when their kids are sick or undergoing treatment. His first lemonade stand was an outstanding success, raising $1,020 (which equals 102 free nights!).
Since then, he has expanded his lemonade stand to the local park and sells additional homemade items with the help of his family. Every summer, Nathan also skips a day of school to volunteer at the annual “Fore the Kids” golf tournament, sharing magic tricks, Rubik’s cube skills, and selling 3D printed ball markers in exchange for donations.
Check out Nathan’s 2023 Fundraiser Video and the 2024 Fundraiser Video!
