Longtime Cockeysville Volunteer Calls It A Career

When Susan Hossfeld began volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore, her work may have seemed monotonous—sitting at an old typewriter in a cramped office, banging out letters—but the rewards were anything but.

The Cockeysville resident "retired" in March after 25 years of unpaid work as what the Baltimore nonprofit's leaders call their "chief gratitude officer."

"It's a job that I loved for over 25 years but there comes a time when things come to an end," Hossfeld said.

For years, Hossfeld has been as stable a presence in the organization as the house itself, which marks 30 years in Baltimore this year. By the Ronald McDonald House's estimation, she's written 5,000 thank-you notes for donations like video-game systems, televisions, furniture and toys.

The downtown Baltimore house is a home away from home for families with children who are being treated at Baltimore-area hospitals.

It began for Hossfeld, of course, as a short-term assignment. A former foster care worker in Baltimore County, Hossfeld connected to the Ronald McDonald House through her work in the Junior League.

"When I first got there I was willing to volunteer for anything," she said.

She ended up writing letters, and more letters, at first from a clanky typewriter in the charity's offices then, later, from a computer at home. But the greatest benefit of the work was the time she got to spend with the house's children and their families.

"I thought it was going to be a difficult location, I thought it was going to be difficult to work," she said. "There was this cheerful home sort of away from home and you get this instant feeling of being surrounded by love. It's just a magical feeling when you walk in."

The typical Junior League assignment is a year at an organization, yet Hossfeld stuck around. On a light day, she would spend three hours writing thank-you notes. Somedays, she might spend  maybe a whole afternoon or the whole day.

"I would go in and I would find an area full of donations, so the generosity from the community is just overwhelming and just so appreciated by everybody at the house," she said.

For years, Hossfeld's spent more time volunteering than some spend in their day jobs, working with the Boy Scouts, Friends School, the Baltimore Radio Reading Service, Gilman School and Towson Presbyterian Church, where she is an elder.

Aside from a few board members, Hossfeld's tenure is longer than everyone involved in the organization, said Sandy Pagnotti, the Ronald McDonald House's executive director.

"One of the best things of the Ronald McDonald House is the people who volunteer with us stay with us," Pagnotti said. "Instead of something they do, it's part of who we are. And she's a great example of that."

But at 72, Hossfeld realized there were things she needed to attend to—her garden and her grandchildren chief among them. She's also taken an interest in genealogy, and used her first summer off to buy a computer program and do some research.

"Life got to be pretty busy, so I was trying to cut back a little bit, and I really didn't want to leave," she said.

Pagnotti said she was naturally unassuming—in an interview, Hossfeld asked if this story could not focus on her—and it's only under protest that the charity's leaders are planning a "Susan Appreciation Day."

"We have amazing, tremendous volunteers but she's a total standout, just for the length of time and the commitment," Pagnotti said, calling Hossfeld "truly one of the kindest, dearest women that I have ever met."

Learn more about volunteering for the Ronald McDonald House.