Ronald McDonald House Charities News

On Nov. 28, McDonald's launched their Season of Giving campaign with hopes of raising $5 million dollars to help out their partner company Ronald McDonald House Charities. During this festive holiday season, McDonald's will be collecting donations at all of their locations in hopes of raising money for our families in need. This time of the year can be especially difficult for families that may need to travel a lot for their kids and we hope to loosen that burden just a bit. We aren't asking for all of everyone's money. This year we set up a plan and will let people choose how much they want to give and they know what it is going towards. The three options are: $1 for coloring books, $3 for art supplies in the playrooms, and $5 can help buy a new family-friendly game. These may seem like small donations but they will add up and make a difference.  “As both a McDonald’s owner-operator and board member of my local chapter of RMHC, I have been honored to witness first-hand...

On Aug. 20, AbbVie gifted the largest donation to RMHC in both organization's history. This money, $100 million dollars, will go a long way for RMHC by providing even more supplies for families and increasing services. These funds will cover 230,000 over-night costs for families staying at our houses so they can be closer to their sick loved ones. This will also allow the addition of around 600 new rooms in 32 different houses in the U.S. to accommodate even more families. Some of these families are paying thousands of dollars on medical expenses and having a safe place to sleep be taken care of is a big help.  "While RMHC serves millions of children and their families each year, we know that we only serve a small percentage of pediatric patients' families who need our services.  This extraordinary gift from AbbVie will move us closer to meeting that unmet need," said  Sheila Musolino the  president and CEO of RMHC.  AbbVie is a well known global bioph...

The  mission  of RMHC is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. A world where all children have access to medical care, and their families are supported and actively involved in their children's care.

The professional football team, the Kansas City Chiefs, visited the local Kansas City Ronald McDonald House Charities to drop off a large check of almost $400 thousand. The donation money comes from a combination of funds from the Hunt Family Foundation 50/50 and from flag sales on Red Friday.  While they players were there, they met some of the local RMHC families and children. The players also signed a few autographs. 

On Monday night dozens were painting with a purpose in East Longmeadow. The Ronald McDonald House of Springfield held a fun and interactive "Tipsy Paintbrush Night" where participants could enjoy a glass of wine, and paint a glass, all benefitting RMHC.  Volunteer Coordinator Skochii Polchlopek spoke on  behalf of the Ronald McDonald House to all of the participants, reminding them of the way they are changing families lives by supporting their mission.  "We are there when the families need us when they want to be close to their children who are in the hospital. W e can accommodate 21 families and we work mostly with Baystate and Shriners and we also work with other families throughout the region who need us." - Polchlopek.  All of the funds raised will go directly to the families who are able to stay at the home free of charge. 

On October 30, the LA Kings hosted a halloween party in partnership with Blue Shield for 75 families at the LA Ronald McDonald House.  LA Kings forward Nate Thompson and his wife Sydney, along with the rest of the team decorated the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House in celebration of Halloween as part of the G.O.A.L.S. program. Volunteers had the opportunity to make baskets for all 75 patient rooms. There were also prepared crafts and decorated sugar cookies delivered to all of the kids rooms. A dinner was also provided for all of the families. G.O.A.L.S. is a program sponsored by the LA Kings and Blue Shield of California to promote character building and wellness activities. Highlighting Green solutions, Open outlooks, Active bodies, Local leaders, and Sharp minds, G.O.A.L.S. provides children of Los Angeles with practical skills and tools to lead healthy lives.

It should not be a surprise to anyone that large expansions and renovations are very costly. Susan Adams, CEO of Oklahoma City's Ronald McDonald House, voiced the need for a larger facility to help more families. She predicted a long road ahead of fundraising and construction to achieve this goal.    Adams states in a recent interview that 414 families had to be turned away due to the location's limited space.    https://newsok.com/article/5614417/okc-ronald-mcdonald-house-to-more-than-double-its-space Pharmaceutical company, AbbVie, gifted $2.4 million to Oklahoma City's chapter. This generous gift will speed up construction efforts immensely, having the projected finish date to be in 2020. With this gift, residence could expect 26 new rooms, a second kitchen, and more gathering spaces. 

On Nov. 30, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia will hold its fourth annual sporting clays tournament at the Flint Skeet and Trap Club in Albany . RMHC is teaming up with the Kids and Clay Foundation and Keystone Foods to put on this event. All proceeds from this event will go toward helping out RMHC of Central Georgia, which has helped over 5,500 families in the past 15 years across the state. Entry into the tournament is $150 for children, $200 for adults and $800 for a team of four. Prizes will be awarded to the winning team, with prize drawings and giveaways occurring throughout the day as well. It's not too late to join the tournament! Anyone who wants to sign up for the tournament should call (478) 746-4090. Want to see what the tournament looks like? Above is a video from a sporting clays tournament held by RMHC of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, and here is a video from a sporting clays tournament held by RMHC of Idaho .

"It is so simple. You pledge, Tech sacks, and kids win!" says Emily Falkenberg, reporter for KAMC News in Lubbock, Texas. For the 17th season, Texas Tech Red Raider football team will partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Quarterback S.A.C.K. fundraiser, to raise money for the RMHC families and children in hospitals in Lubbock, Texas. For every sack the Raiders' defense gets, pledge money will be donated to RMHC in the local community.  "Those players are passionate, not only about football, but about the community in which they're getting a quality education in", expresses Dina Jeffries, President and CEO of RMHC of the Southwest.  For more information about the fundraiser, or about making a pledge to support RMHC  of the Southwest, visit www.pledgesackwin.com  or watch the video below.  Quarterback S.A.C.K. to benefit RMHC

"Bubbles," a heart featuring giraffes and fish, is one of the 28 hearts on display at the Give Love Heart Project  in Downtown Spokane. On Nov. 1, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Inland Northwest  teamed up with local artists to place colorful hearts all around Downtown Spokane . The hearts will line the streets of Spokane until the end of February; after this, a gala will be held on March 1 where the hearts will be sold off, and the proceeds will benefit RMHC . The Give Love Heart Project features 28 hearts created by over 24 artists, and features everything from hearts with animals to hearts with inspiring messages. Among the artists involved with the project, one of them was personally helped by RMHC after her grandson was injured two years ago. Nancy Reid Isaak wanted to get involved with the project after RMHC helped her and her grandson out for a week following the injury.  Her sculpture, titled "Northern Lights," is on display. We encourage ...

With the holiday season quickly approaching, The Ronald McDonald House of Connecticut is taking extreme efforts to spread Christmas cheer to residents. With their 29th Annual Trees of Hope, the Connecticut house is pairing up with local groups to produce a fundraiser consisting of raffle tickets and elaborate holiday displays! This is a huge event for The Ronald McDonald House, spreading Christmas cheer and awareness at the same time. Check out this video to learn more about how you can get involved!