Ronald McDonald House of Providence: Amica Newport Marathon Charitable Partner Spotlight

The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) “keeps families together and near the care they need.” RMHC serves families of critically ill or injured children from prenatal up to 21 years old. While families are seeking treatment for their children, RMHC provides housing for these families so that they can stay close to their children while they are in the hospital. Ronald McDonald House Charities help impact the lives of more than  7 million children and their families around the world every year.

RMHC believes that “nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child.” At every house that RMHC provides, families have access to home-cooked meals, private bedrooms, and playrooms for the children. Depending on the house, some other services such as educational programs, support services, and recreational activities may be available as well.

The first Ronald McDonald House was built in 1974 in Philadelphia with McDonald’s as their founding mission partner. While McDonald’s is their largest corporate partner, RMHC is still a non-profit organization that relies on and “greatly values donations from the community and other corporate partners.” RMHC currently receives no state or federal funding and is responsible for raising almost all of its annual operating budget. In addition to corporate support and individual donations, grants, events, and in-kind donations of necessities (food, clothing, bedding, etc.) are also major contributors to the continuous charitable flow of running of the organization. 

 Although RMHC asks for a $10 per night contribution from those who stay at one of their locations, no family will ever be turned away because they are unable to afford it. This is one of the many reasons why donations and volunteers are very important contributors so that RMHC can continue helping families stay together during difficult times.

The organization has recently merged with RMHC Eastern New England to form the new organization, Ronald McDonald House New England. The mission of RMHC is to “create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families.”  RMHC envisions and is working towards, “a world where all children have access to medical care, and their families are supported and actively involved in their children’s care.”

To make a donation and learn more about Ronald McDonald House Providence, or to run for their team at the Amica Newport Marathon, visit https://rmhprovidence.org.