Spotlight: Ronald McDonald House

The Ronald McDonald House program started in 1974 in Philadelphia with the opening of the first house to provide a “home away from home” for families of children undergoing medical treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. It was inspired by the vision and partnership of a football player, a doctor, the Philadelphia Eagles, and McDonald’s restaurants. A few years earlier, the young daughter of Fred Hill, a tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles, had been diagnosed with leukemia. Hill and his wife slept on hospital chairs and ate food from vending machines to remain close to their child. Many other families were doing the same thing. Dr. Audrey Evans, head of the pediatric oncology unit at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, had a dream of establishing a “home” near the hospital that could provide these families with a temporary living space without the added expense of renting a hotel room. Hill rallied support from the Eagles and from McDonald’s owner-operators in the Philadelphia region to make this dream a reality.

The second Ronald McDonald House opened right here in Illinois, in Chicago, in 1977. Today, the non-profit umbrella organization Ronald McDonald House Charities, Inc. includes over 380 Houses across 62 countries and two additional core programs, the Ronald McDonald Family Room program, which provides space in hospitals for families to eat, shower, or rest, and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program, which provides medical, dental, and health-education visits to underserved communities across the globe. As the Ronald McDonald House program grew and spread, McDonald’s remained a steadfast corporate partner. The goal remains the same, to reduce financial burdens for families with children experiencing healthcare needs. It is estimated that last year, Ronald McDonald House Charities helped families worldwide save $736 million in lodging and meal expenses.

The Springfield Ronald McDonald House, which opened in 1986, is located at 610 North 7th Street, within walking distance to St. John’s Children’s Hospital. The Springfield location, along with a house in Peoria, which opened in 2019, make up the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois. Amber Kaylor is the CEO of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois. When asked to describe the work of Ronald McDonald Charities, Kaylor states, “the best thing about what we do is to help families at the worst possible time in their life to try and lift some of that burden." She explains, “the goal is to provide housing, food, transportation, laundry and everything you can think of so these families can concentrate on their child.” Last year between the Springfield and Peoria locations, Ronald McDonald Charities of Central Illinois provided free accommodations and meals to 432 families over 8,231 nights. These services could not be provided without the dedicated commitment of hundreds of volunteers.

Each Ronald McDonald House relies on the generosity of businesses and individuals to carry out its mission. Through the Springfield Ronald McDonald House’s Meals from the Heart program, volunteers provide meals for Ronald McDonald House families. According to Kaylor, volunteers are especially needed to provide meals at this time of year because the number of people staying at the Ronald McDonald House increases over the summer, with siblings often joining parents. Groups or individuals can sign up on-line or by telephone to provide a meal. The goal is to provide a breakfast, lunch, or dinner for 20 to 25 people. Volunteers plan the meal, purchase the ingredients, prepare the meal, package the food in individual serving containers (provided by the Ronald McDonald House), and clean up after. Meals can be prepared in the kitchen at the House or catered through a professionally licensed kitchen. The Meals from the Heart program is a great activity for groups or businesses and is a way to give back and have an immediate positive impact on families in our community. 

In addition to the meal program, groups up to 20 people can contact the Springfield House to sign up to volunteer for seasonal projects. The Ronald McDonald House Charities' Pop Tab Recycling Program is another simple way to help. Volunteers save aluminum pop tabs from soda cans and drop them off at the House for recycling. In recent years, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois has collected approximately 17 million tabs per year, which add up to a substantial financial resource. Both the Springfield and Peoria Houses maintain wish lists seeking donations of new general everyday items needed to serve the families, ranging from paper towels to dish soap to laundry items. Monetary donations are always welcome as well. There are many ways to make a big difference for families experiencing a time of need. 

For more information about the Ronald McDonald Charities of Central Illinois and to sign up for Meals from the Heart, please visit, www.rmhc-centralillinois.org.