Jupiter High’s Interact Club traveled to Quantum House on March 11th to help Rotary Club serve brunch to patients and their families. 

Quantum House is a recovery home for children in the midst of treatment and surgeries, located at St. Mary’s Medical Hospital in West Palm Beach. 

“[Rotary Club] purchased food to provide a healthy and delicious brunch for the 35 patients and 65 family members,” John Kelly, member of Rotary Club, said.  

Interact’s priority at Quantum House is working alongside with the patients by playing board games, which helps take their minds off the tests and procedures they’re currently undergoing.

“We are able to make friends and communicate with [the kids] because they sadly never really get to see anyone outside of each other,” Alex Velez, Vice President of Interact Club, said. “It’s good to bring them a positive outside influence.” 

Families from different countries come to Quantum House to give their children access to advanced medicine and innovative surgical techniques. Because many families and patients do not speak English, volunteers use translators so that they are able to converse in different languages.

“I was with a kid from Pakistan and he just had surgery on both of his legs and had this huge circular cast to hold his bones in place, so it was really fun to be able to interact with him and the other kids there,” Ashlyn Rosado, junior, said. 

One of the Interact Club members speaks fluent Arabic and was able to communicate with a family from Lebanon.

“A high point was watching an Interact member speak to a Lebanese family and their child who spoke no English, laughing and playing a card game,” Kelly said.

Around 30 members of Interact attended the event, allowing each patient to be accompanied by two or three volunteers.

“Volunteering at Quantum House really highlights what Interact Club is about because we love not only to give back to the community by volunteering our time, but it also allows us to receive something from the community in return,” Jordyn Hartigan, President of the Interact Club, said. 

Not only did the children receive support and appreciation from the brunch, but everyone who volunteered was gifted with an immense amount of gratification from the impact they had on the patients and families. 

“You see how you can brighten someone’s day just by giving your time to be with [the kids] and get to know them,” Hartigan said. “That’s why we go to Quantum House.”