Programs

calum_RayRonald McDonald House

A Ronald McDonald House® is a temporary home-away-from-home where the families of children being treated for serious illnesses or trauma reside while the child receives treatment at a nearby medical facility. It is also a place where children who are receiving outpatient treatment are able to spend time with their families in a warm and cheerful environment. A Ronald McDonald House is not a medical treatment facility, a hospice, or a hotel.

What is its purpose?

Children with serious illnesses need more than quality medical attention. They need emotional support and understanding from their families. Families, in turn, need a place where they can draw additional strength and find stability when a child is seriously ill. Families forced to travel a distance to obtain medical care often find that their day-to-day problems are compounded by lengthy separation from home and friends. In order to be close to their children, they may have to choose between paying for expensive accommodations or sleeping in hospital waiting rooms.

At a Ronald McDonald House, the families have a place to rest, away from the atmosphere of a hospital, where they can attempt to lead “normal” lives. Parents are able to share their worries and concerns with other parents who can empathetically understand the emotional strain placed upon them and who can offer each other support during times of crisis.

Get directions and map to Ronald McDonald House and guest information.

Ronald McDonald Family Room

cheyenne_DanieleRonald McDonald Family Room is located inside University Medical Center. It offers families of pediatric patients a place to relax, away from the stresses of the hospital, while still being close to their children.

Purpose

Ronald McDonald House Charities understands that when you have a seriously ill or injured child in the hospital, going home for a nap, a meal or a shower just seems too far away. The Family Room offers families privacy and personal comforts through one of the most difficult times in their life.

The Family Room includes:

  • A living room where families can relax
  • A small kitchen and dining area
  • A quiet room with recliners for resting
  • Computer access as well as medical reference books

Ronald McDonald Family Room is open to any adult family member or guardian of a child, 21 or younger, receiving medical care at UMC.

Get directions and map to the Ronald McDonald Family Room® at University Medical Center and guest information.

FAQs

Who owns the Ronald McDonald House?

Each Ronald McDonald House is owned and operated separately as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. Each House is run by a volunteer Board of Directors which is composed of community members, members of the medical and business communities, and local McDonald’s owner/operators. In Tucson, Ronald McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Room are owned and operated by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona, Inc. All of our funding comes from private and charitable donations.

Our global Ronald McDonald House Charities organization provides us with fundraising money from such sponsors as Bissell, Select Comfort and Coke. They also provide us with consulting services in areas of finance, legal, fundraising, and general support. Although McDonald’s restaurants are very involved in our fundraising efforts, none of the Houses are owned by McDonald’s.

What is the involvement of McDonald’s in this program?

McDonald’s gives seed money to each new Ronald McDonald House. The local McDonalds help by sponsoring fundraisers in the restaurants to benefit RMHC. They also collect donations from the public through canisters in their stores. However, more than 90% of our funding comes from sources other than McDonald’s. We have a licensing agreement with McDonald’s enabling us to use the RMHC name and logo.