What began as a single race in New York in 2009, RBC Race for the Kids has grown into a series of 17 events around the world. Together, they have attracted more than 525,000 participants and raised over CAD$118 million for youth-focused charities.
In Sydney the event brings together RBC employees, their families, friends and clients to take part in one of the city’s most iconic races, the Voltaren City2Surf. Funds raised help charity partner Ronald McDonald House Sydney provide a “home away from home” for families caring for sick or injured children.
Ronald McDonald House Sydney supports people whose children are being treated at the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick – particularly those traveling from regional and remote communities. It provides them with a comfortable place to stay, practical support and the reassurance of being close to their child throughout treatment.
“Fundraising for Ronald McDonald House Sydney through RBC Race for the Kids is a natural fit with our broader commitments to making a positive and measurable impact in the communities where we operate,” says Blair Wark, Chief Financial Officer, APAC; Chief Operating Officer APAC CM, Country Head, Australia.
“We are helping to make a real impact – delivering positive outcomes for people in need. We’re helping these families access lifesaving healthcare, which is at the heart of our Purpose Framework.”
Maximizing impact through a partnership
While the purpose of RBC Race for the Kids in Sydney has remained unchanged since its 2014 launch, the way it brings that purpose to life has evolved.
What was initially launched as a small-scale standalone event 12 years ago has transformed into a partnership with the world’s largest fun run, the Voltaren City2Surf. On August 9, 2026, RBC participants joined more than 90,000 people on a scenic but challenging 14km course from Sydney’s CBD to Bondi Beach.
RBC participants took part under the RBC Race for the Kids banner, while the greater scale and visibility of the Voltaren City2Surf creates more opportunity to raise awareness and funds. “Our new approach allows RBC Race for the Kids to retain its identity while connecting with a much larger event and community and, most importantly, generating greater support for Ronald McDonald House Sydney,” Wark adds.
“Our new approach allows RBC Race for the Kids to retain its identity while connecting with a much larger event and community.”
Blair Wark, Chief Financial Officer, APAC; Chief Operating Officer APAC CM, Country Head, Australia.
Going beyond fundraising
Around 300 RBC staff, their families, friends and clients took part in this year’s Voltaren City2Surf – the event’s 56th year – raising more than A$72,000 for Ronald McDonald House Sydney. The funds will contribute to the House’s Meal Coordinator role, led by a qualified chef who prepares home-cooked meals for families. The role also oversees the Home for Dinner volunteering program, in which RBC employees regularly participate.
The Home for Dinner program gives corporate volunteers the opportunity to prepare, cook and serve an evening meal for families staying in the House. The program has recently evolved, with the Meal Coordinator taking responsibility for menu planning and sourcing ingredients, which volunteers previously managed. The new model provides families with greater variety and more nutritious meals while helping reduce food waste.
“After a long and often exhausting day at the hospital, the last thing we want families to worry about is what they are going to cook for dinner,” explains Simone Daher, Chief Executive Officer, Ronald McDonald House Sydney.
“Patrick, our Meal Coordinator and qualified chef, is helping us deliver on a simple but important commitment – to have a nourishing, home-cooked meal available for our families every day.“
“It’s about much more than food. Sitting down to a home-cooked meal can bring a little bit of routine and normality back into a family’s day at a time when almost everything else feels uncertain. RBC’s support is helping us make that possible.”
The partnership between RBC and Ronald McDonald House Sydney will mark 10 years in 2027. Over this time, RBC has donated over A$1 million to the charity, supporting not only the Meal Coordinator but also practical improvements at the House. These have included the refurbishment of an isolation unit, learning services for children and siblings staying for extended periods, and renovations to the outdoor play area and kitchen.
“When a child is seriously ill or injured, families often have to leave their homes, their jobs and their support networks behind to access specialist treatment in Sydney. Our role is to take away some of the everyday pressures so families can focus on what matters most – being together and being there for their child,” Daher adds. “That means providing much more than a place to sleep. It’s meals, education, practical and emotional support, spaces for siblings and, importantly, a community around families during what can be one of the most difficult times in their lives.”
That support has contributed to countless individual stories that demonstrate the role the House can play during some of the most difficult periods in a family’s life. One family spent more than 900 nights at the House, demonstrating the long-term role it can play during an extended course of treatment. In another remarkable example, a young girl staying at the House was found to be a bone marrow match for a fellow resident in need of a transplant and later went on to become their donor.
Wark says stories like these reinforce why the program is such a strong fit with RBC’s commitment to communities. “It is a powerful reminder that these partnerships are about people, not just numbers. It’s about bringing people together and encouraging them to understand the importance of giving back,” he says.
“These partnerships are about people, not just numbers. It’s about bringing people together and encouraging them to understand the importance of giving back”
Blair Wark, Chief Financial Officer, APAC; Chief Operating Officer APAC CM, Country Head, Australia.
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Across RBC Capital Markets, stories like these reflect how purpose, people, and partnership come together to drive real‑world impact. Discover how other similar projects are delivering impact around the world. Read more stories here.