1974

The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974 as the result of the perseverance and dedication of Fred Hill, a Philadelphia Eagles football player.  While dealing with the serious illness of their 3 yr old daughter, they witnessed dozens of parents sleeping in waiting rooms; slumped in chairs at their children’s bedside. They decided there had to be a solution. Mr. Hill shared his experience with his friends at the Eagles organization and together with the local McDonald’s owner they established the Ronald McDonald House.

1981

The Tucson Ronald McDonald House opened on February 14, 1981.  The House was built in response to the growing need for shelter for families of children undergoing treatment at Tucson area medical facilities for cancer, heart disease, and other serious illness or traumas. When we first opened our heart and doors to families in need of a “home away from home,” there were a total of five bedrooms and two shared bathrooms. Our kitchen held a single refrigerator, and one washer and dryer that somehow supported an average of 55 guests per month.

Over the next 15 years, renovations increased the House’s capacity to 16 families, in addition to a duplex adjacent to UAMC, which accommodated two additional families with long-term housing.

In 2004, RMHC began a $4.5 million capital campaign to build a new, larger Ronald McDonald House, which now houses up to 28 families and includes a 12-room isolation wing that can accommodate families of children undergoing bone marrow, stem cell, and organ transplants. The new 24,000 square-foot House serves up to 750 families each year and hosts hundreds of volunteer and community groups in the George Mason Green and Lois C. Green Foundation Community Room.

Over the years, the cost to house families has risen dramatically, from only $6 per night in 1981, to more than $90 per night in 2011.  It is only through the continuing support of the community and our generous corporate donors that we are able to offer a unique “home away from home” to our Ronald McDonald House Families.