Our Response to COVID-19

You are an important part of the Ronald McDonald House Charities community, so I wanted to let you know about some new, temporary changes to our programs in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

First of all, we are following leadership from the RMHC Global offices concerning the Ronald McDonald House. The good news is that the Ronald McDonald House in Tucson will remain open for the families who are currently staying here which include families with premature babies, cerebral palsy and an infant who needs a bone marrow transplant. We will continue to care for them and make sure that they are comfortable and safe.

In order to prioritize the health of the families already residing here, for the next 21 days we will not be accepting any new families into the Ronald McDonald House. Instead, families in need will be invited to stay at local hotels. We have been in touch with multiple hotels near Tucson hospitals, including the Homewood Suites by Hilton Tucson, Marriott University Park, Aloft and the Sheraton near TMC. All of them have offered discounted rates, which we intend to cover for the families.

If you wish to make a tax credit-eligible donation to help us with these unexpected expenses, you can do so on our donation page.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Banner Children’s-Diamond Children’s Medical Center and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile have also closed their doors temporarily, but we have been in touch with our partner healthcare providers about repurposing these programs to support the community’s health needs. The Ronald McDonald Family Room usually serves as a place of respite for families at the hospital. For now, we will instead open its doors to provide respite to the medical staff who have been working tirelessly to care for our community.

If you are asking yourself how you can help right now, here are three things you can do:

•  You can find a list of vitally needed supplies on our website.

•  Additionally, we are asking you to support local businesses by purchasing gift cards to your favorite eateries so we can order dinners for the families or provide them to those who may be staying at a partner hotel.

•  You can also help by making your tax-credit eligible donation by the April 15 deadline.

And, of course, the best way to help fellow Tucsonans is by practicing safe hygiene and social distancing.

On behalf of all of us at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona, thank you for standing by our families and our community. We’re all in this together.

With gratitude,
Kate Maguire Jensen
President & CEO

 

Make your tax-credit eligible donation Special Spring 2020 Wish List