A Little Help for Sick Kids From Ronald McDonald
By Teresa Ambord
The basic philosophy of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is that children need a strong mind, a strong body, and a supportive place to grow.
RMHC works to improve the health and well being of children and to support their families. With those goals in mind, RMHC has three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, which takes medical, dental, and health education services to pockets of underserved children around the world.
RMHC began with a simple idea over thirty years ago, in 1974. Seriously ill children who must spend time in hospitals need their families close by. But when the hospital is far from home, many people struggle to pay for lodging to be near their children. That’s where the Ronald McDonald House comes in, providing a home away from home for those who need it. Since it opened, more than 10 million families of sick children around the world have benefited from its services.
The Ronald McDonald House (RMH)
RMH always needs volunteers, as well as cash donations. Here are some of the opportunities you may be able to fill:
- People to keep the kitchen clean, organized, and well stocked.
- People to keep the play areas clean and disinfected.
- Gardeners
- Basic cleaning such as window washing, and walkway sweeping.
- Hosts who will bring friends and family along with a favorite movie or game to visit the host, make popcorn, and share some fun with the family.
- Special events and holidays. As you might expect, the need for extra help is especially acute during holidays and special events to decorate, cook a special meal, host a pizza party for the event or a birthday party for a family member, organize the children at the House to do an appropriate art project.
The Family Room
The Ronald McDonald Family Room is an extension of the Ronald McDonald House. It’s a “family room” setting inside a hospital, very near the pediatric intensive care unit or neonatal unit. Much like the Ronald McDonald House, the Family Room is a place where families of sick children can be comfortable and escape from the enormous stress of illness without leaving the hospital.
The space allocated to the Family Room is owned by the hospital it serves and is run as a joint effort of the hospital and RMHC. Here is what a family can expect to find at a Family Room:
- Shower facilities
- Sleeping and napping accommodations
- Cooking facilities
- Laundry
- A recreation room with comfortable seating where the family can relax.
- Reference books
- Internet access.
- A quiet room for reflection.
For More Information:
Here’s how you can contact the RMHC, whether you need to stay at a House, or wish to volunteer or donate goods and services or cash: Find your local RMHC in the phone book, or, for the national office write or call:
Ronald McDonald House Charities
One Kroc Drive
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Phone: 630-623-7048
Fax: 630-623-7488
To learn more, to donate, or to read some family stories on the RMHC Web site, click here:
