ST. LOUIS — Ronald McDonald House and CITY SC players kicked off “Meals from the Heart” at the Grove location, which opened earlier this summer.

“Meals from the Heart” is how Ronald McDonald House nourishes families and provides them with strength to push through a medically stressful time. 

Seven City SC players toured the building. Then, along with Chef Matt Borchardt, they prepared the evening meal. 

“It’s extremely important, our meals from the heart program is all volunteer based,” said Borchardt. “Volunteers, groups come in every day, and along with myself and my team in the kitchen, we prepare a hot meal for the families that are staying here.”

At six stations, Chef Matt guided them through cutting brisket, chopping a wedge salad, making grilled cheeses, dessert, and other tasks. After the meal prep, the players met with families and served people ice cream.

“It’s something that is very important to me, especially sick kids,” said City SC defender Kyle Hiebert. “To be able to give with a little bit of our time – I think it’s super important to be invested in things that is bigger than yourselves.” 

For sports players, volunteering with local charities isn’t always part of the job, but it’s not uncommon either. Hiebert believes this part of work is critical.

“What we do for a job, it can easily be broken down into wins and losses, but I think there’s many people in this organization who believe that it’s so much more. So actually, this I would say is even more important than what we do on the field. More important for us and more important for the community as well.”