View source for Ronald McDonald House Charities

{{Short description|Nonprofit organization}}
{{Promotional|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                     = Ronald McDonald House Charities
| logo                     = Ronald McDonald House Charities logo.svg
| motto                    = 
| formation                = {{start date and age|1974|10|15}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rmhc.org/our-history|title=Our History|website=RMHC.org|publisher=Ronald McDonald House Charities|access-date=2016-05-06|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521134658/http://www.rmhc.org/our-history|archive-date=2016-05-21}}</ref><br/>[[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania, U.S.
| extinction               = 
| type                     = [[Health care]], [[charitable organization|charity]], [[social welfare]]
| headquarters             = [[Oak Brook, Illinois]], U.S.
| location                 = 7,128 worldwide
| membership               = 
| language                 = English
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| key_people               = {{ubl|Sandy Pagnotti-Mayhew (president and CEO)|Ginger Hardage (chairman of the board)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rmhc.org/about-us/board-of-trustees|title=RMHC Board Members |website=RMHC.org |publisher=Ronald McDonald House Charities |access-date=2021-05-07}}</ref>}}
| num_staff                = 
| budget                   = 
| website                  = [https://rmhc.org rmhc.org]
}}
[[File:Hundertwasserhaus-Essen.jpg|thumb|Ronald McDonald House in [[Essen]], Germany, designed by [[Friedensreich Hundertwasser]]]]
[[File:Salzburg Ronald-McDonald-Haus.jpg|thumb|Ronald McDonald House in [[Salzburg]], [[Austria]]]]
[[File:Ronald McDonald House.jpg|thumb|Ronald McDonald House in [[Wagga Wagga, New South Wales|Wagga Wagga]], [[New South Wales]], Australia]]
[[File:Feed the clown.JPG|thumb|Ronald McDonald House collection canister]]
'''Ronald McDonald House Charities''' ('''RMHC''') is an independent American [[nonprofit organization]] whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rmhc.org/about-us |title=Mission and Vision |website= RMHC.org| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities|access-date=2025-07-15}}</ref>

RMHC has a global network of chapters in 62 countries and regions under three core programs: Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rmhc.org/about-us|title=About Us|website= RMHC.org| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities}}</ref>

==Programs==
The first Ronald McDonald House was opened in Philadelphia in 1974.<ref name="About Us">{{cite web|title=About Us| url= https://www.rmhccanada.ca/about-us| website= rmhccanada.ca| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities | place= Canada|access-date=18 April 2017}}</ref> [[Jim Murray (American football)|Jim Murray]], general manager of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], was raising funds for one of his players' ([[Fred Hill (American football)|Fred Hill]]) daughters when he met [[Children's Hospital of Philadelphia]] oncologist Dr. [[Audrey Evans]].  They partnered with Elkman Advertising which handled marketing for [[McDonald's]], and the charity took the name of the [[Ronald McDonald|latter's mascot]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mission & History |url=https://www.rmhcphilly.org/about-us/mission-history/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=RMHC Philadelphia Region |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Life is an Audible the Jimmy Murray Story |url=https://www.stjudeshop.com/special-occasions/fathers-day/life-is-an-audible-the-jimmy-murray-story/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=St. Jude Shop, Inc.}}</ref>

=== Houses ===
There are over 387 Ronald McDonald Houses in 62 countries.<ref name="rmhc.org">{{cite web |title=2023 Annual Report |url=https://rmhc.org/-/media/Feature/RMHC-Production-Images/About-Us/Files/Media-Resources-and-Financials/RMHC_2023_AnnualReport.pdf |access-date=March 12, 2025 |website=RMHC.org |publisher=Ronald McDonald House Charities}}</ref> These accommodate families with hospitalized children under 21 years of age (or 18 or 26, depending on the House), who are being treated at nearby hospitals and medical facilities.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.rmhc.org/frequently-asked-questions| title= FAQ| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities| website= RMHC.org}}</ref> These houses are located just minutes away from the special care hospitals that are required to help children get back to full health. Ronald McDonald Houses allow families to stay free of charge. They also provide families with home cooked meals. Houses like these scattered throughout the world allow families to have a home away from home and focus on what is important, their child's health.

=== Family Rooms ===
There are currently over 271 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms in 28 countries.<ref name="rmhc.org"/> These family rooms are inside of hospitals. They allow families to stay right beside their children, but also allow them to take a break and relax during a rather stressful situation. These rooms provide families with a safe space to get a snack, take a nap, or even take a shower. They also provide toys for the children to play with to help get their mind off of the setting they are in.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rmhc.org/our-core-programs/ronald-mcdonald-family-room-programs |website=Ronald McDonald House Charities |access-date=22 March 2023 |title=Ronald McDonald Family Rooms &#124; RMHC }}</ref>

=== Care Mobiles ===
There are currently 41 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles in ten countries.<ref name="rmhc.org"/> These care mobiles travel throughout select regions of the world and provide health care to many families in need. Millions of families worldwide are without basic medical, health, and dental care. Which is part of the reason why these buses are so crucial in the Ronald McDonald House's project to provide people across the world with the ability to have access to quality health care.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://rmhc.org/about-us/RMHC-and-McDonalds |website=Ronald McDonald House Charities |access-date=22 March 2023 |title=McDonald's Commitment to RMHC &#124; RMHC }}</ref>

===International===
In 1981, the first Ronald McDonald House outside the United States opened, in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].<ref name="About Us"/> In 1991, the 150th Ronald McDonald House opened, in [[Paris]], [[France]], although it has closed.{{citation needed|date= May 2019}}  On July 25, 2005, the 250th location opened in [[Caracas]], [[Venezuela]], but it has since been closed.  The first in-hospital Ronald McDonald House in APMEA (Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa) opened at [[Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health]], [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]], on June 7, 2011.

==== Australia ====
The first Ronald McDonald House in Australia was opened in [[Camperdown, New South Wales|Camperdown]], [[New South Wales]], in 1981. The number of Houses has since grown to 18. The program has since helped 100,000 families and houses up to 260 families per night.<ref>{{cite web|title= Our History| website= rmhc.org.au| url= https://www.rmhc.org.au/about-us#our-history| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |place= Australia| access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref> Each House is attached to a major children's or women's hospital. Each House has an independent board that manages its own day-to-day funding.<ref>{{cite web| title= Houses| url= http://www.rmhc.org.au/houses| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |place= Australia |access-date=9 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=RMHC Quick Facts |url= http://www.rmhc.org.au/sites/rmhc.org.au/files/RMHC204-170812%20Quick%20Facts%20A4-%20Changes_vFINAL_OL_no%20crops.pdf | website= rmhc.org.au| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |place= Australia| access-date=9 November 2013 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The Ronald McDonald's Learning Program (Australia only) was formed in 1997 to help children who had suffered minor illness and returned to school. Its stated mission is to provide "educational support" to these children who have fallen behind in their education. It is the only program of its kind in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://learningprogram.rmhc.org.au/index.php|title= Ronald McDonald Learning Program| website= rmhc.org.au| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities| place= Australia}}</ref> The program now works with over 1,000 students each week. It was first piloted in 1997 by Tracey Webster.

The Ronald McDonald's Learning Program supplies students with a cognitive and educational assessment by an educational psychologist, 40 hours of individual tutoring by a qualified teacher and 10 sessions of speech or occupational therapy, if required.

Other RMHC Australia activities include Family Rooms in fourteen hospitals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Family Rooms|url=https://www.rmhc.org.au/our-programs/family-rooms| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |place= Australia| website= rmhc.org.au| access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref> RMHC Australia also operates Family Retreats that enable families of sick children to take a holiday for a week.<ref>{{cite web|title=Retreats|url=http://www.rmhc.org.au/whatwedo/retreats| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |place= Australia| website= rmhc.org.au| access-date=9 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>

The Charlie Bell Scholarship Program is named after the first Australian Global [[McDonald's]] Corporation CEO. The program provides financial assistance in the form of 11 one-off scholarships a year. It assists with expenses related to vocational or tertiary education for children who have been seriously ill.<ref>{{cite web|title=RMHC Charlie Bell Scholarship Program|url=https://www.rmhc.org.au/our-programs/charlie-bell-scholarship| website= rmhc.org.au| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |place= Australia}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>

The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is a partnership between RMHC Australia and [[Royal Far West]]. It is based in Orange in regional New South Wales and travels throughout rural and remote New South Wales.<ref>{{cite web|title=Care Mobile| url= http://www.rmhc.org.au/whatwedo/caremobile| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |website= rmhc.org.au| place= Australia| access-date=9 November 2013}}</ref>

Ronald McDonald House Charity Australia is also the major private donor to cord blood banks in Australia, providing a 10-year $A1 million commitment.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cord Blood Banks|url= http://www.rmhc.org.au/whatwedo/cord-blood-bank| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |website= rmhc.org.au| place= Australia| access-date=9 November 2013}}</ref>

==== Hong Kong ====
The first Ronald McDonald House in [[Hong Kong]] was opened in 1996 in [[Sha Tin]].<ref>{{cite web| website= rmhc.org.hk| url= https://www.rmhc.org.hk/rmhc_tc/index.html | title= Ronald McDonald House Charities Hong Kong | publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities |place= Hong Kong| access-date= 18 March 2018}}</ref>

The second House in [[Kwun Tong]] District near to the [[Hong Kong Children's Hospital]].<ref name = scmp>{{cite web | url = https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2113590/family-rooms-hong-kongs-sick-children-planned-near | publisher = South China Morning Post | title = Family rooms for Hong Kong's sick children planned near new hospital| date = October 2017 | accessdate = 7 August 2024}}</ref>

==== Norway ====
On May 21, 2016, Ronald McDonald Barnefond (Ronald McDonald Children's Fund), along with [[Stine Sofies Stiftelse]], opened the world's first camp and learning center for children.  Stine Sofie Stiftelse first joined forces with Ronald McDonald Barnefond in 2015. The initial purpose was to fix houses where children of abuse and their families could stay for a day free of charge.{{Citation needed|reason=needs updating & source|date=April 2017}}

===Pop Tab Program===
Through the RMHC Pop Tab Collection Program, to date{{when|date=November 2017}} more than $4 million has been generated.<ref name = rmhc>{{cite web| url= http://rmhc.org/how-you-can-help/other-ways-to-get-involved/pop-tab-collections/ |title= Pop Tab Collection Program| website= rmhc.org| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101129055623/http://rmhc.org/how-you-can-help/other-ways-to-get-involved/pop-tab-collections/ |archive-date=2010-11-29 }}</ref> The program was established to allow individuals and businesses to collect [[Tab (beverage can)|soda pop tabs]] from aluminum cans and donate them to their local RMHC chapter or Ronald McDonald's House. Though each program differs, for the most part, RMHC chapters use the money received from recycling the tabs to help offset operational expenses or to sponsor or support programs. Not all Houses participate in the Pop Tab Program. Collected pop tabs are used by Ronald McDonald House Charities to fund their work.<ref name="poptab">{{cite web|last1=House|first1=Ronald McDonald|title=Pop Tab Program| url= http://www.rmhckc.org/document.doc?id=28|website=RMHC|publisher=Ronald McDonald House Charities|access-date=4 August 2016| url-status= dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161215211010/http://www.rmhckc.org/document.doc?id=28|archive-date=15 December 2016}}</ref>

The [[Alpha Delta Pi]] sorority partners with Ronald McDonald House Charities to promote and participate in the Pop Tab Program.<ref name="tab">{{cite web|publisher= Delta Nu Chapter, Alpha Delta Pi Sorority |place= Southeast Missouri |title=ADPI Philanthropy| url= https://adpisemo.com/philanthropy/| website= adpisemo.com|date= 25 April 2013 | access-date=4 August 2016}}</ref>

== Partnership with McDonalds ==
The Ronald McDonald House has a program to help support the house through the donation of money from each happy meal purchased at McDonalds. With the purchase of each happy meal two cents is donated to the charity. In 2021 more than $168 million was donated to the Ronald McDonald House through the donations from McDonalds.<ref name=":0" />

==Awards==
''[[Worth (magazine)|Worth]]'' magazine named Ronald McDonald's House Charity one of "America's 100 Best Charities" in 2001 and 2002.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.ashoka.org/news/1024 |title=American's 100 Best Charities |website= Ashoka.org |date= 2002-11-30 |access-date=2013-07-31 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714204628/https://www.ashoka.org/news/1024 |archive-date= 2014-07-14 }}</ref>

The [[U.S. Green Building Council]] awarded the Ronald McDonald's House Charities of Austin and Central Texas (RMHC-ACT) with [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]] (LEED) Platinum certification, the highest level of sustainable building in the nation.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.rmhc-austin.org/leed-platinum|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120817102140/http://www.rmhc-austin.org/leed-platinum| url-status= dead| archive-date=2012-08-17| title= LEED Platinum Certification | website= rmhc-austin.org| publisher= Ronald McDonald House Charities, Austin and Central Texas| access-date= May 7, 2019}}</ref>

==Criticism==
Ronald McDonald House has been criticised as an attempt by McDonald's to distract from its role in contributing to [[childhood obesity]] and [[animal welfare]] issues.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eatdrinkpolitics.com/2013/10/29/clowning-around-with-charity-how-mcdonalds-exploits-philanthropy-and-targets-children/|title=Clowning Around with Charity: How McDonald's Exploits Philanthropy and Targets Children &#124; Eat Drink Politics|date=October 29, 2013|website=www.eatdrinkpolitics.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/2013/11/1/20528672/mcdonald-s-charity-under-fire-responds-to-allegations|title=McDonald's charity under fire, responds to allegations|date=November 1, 2013|website=Deseret News}}</ref> Anne Markwardt of [[Foodwatch]], which researches food industry practices, said that "One has to remember that a large amount of the funding does not come from McDonald's itself but from private, corporate or other donors." In 2013 it was estimated by [[Corporate Accountability International]] that McDonald's  contributed about 5% of the funding and about 30% came from McDonald's customers' donations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/mcdonalds-accused-stiffing-ronald-mcdonald-house-charities/story?id=20720859|title=McDonald's Accused of Being Cheap Toward Its Charitable Arm|website=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/10/29/mcdonalds-ronald-mcdonald-house/3189709/|title=McDonald's slammed over Ronald McDonald House giving|first=Bruce|last=Horovitz|website=USA TODAY}}</ref> Markwardt said that the houses are "used as marketing ploys for profitable but unhealthy products, as well as means of indirect political influence," noting that politicians regularly visited for [[photo opportunities]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/ronald-mcdonald-house-garners-star-architects-criticism/a-17355178|title=Ronald McDonald House garners star architects, criticism &#124; DW &#124; 13.01.2014|website=DW.COM}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Fisher House Foundation]], a similar charity for military families
* [[Fred Hill (American football)#Personal life|Fred Hill]]
* [[McHappy Day]]
* [[Jim Murray (football)|Jim Murray]]
* [[Patient hotel]]
* [[Ronald McDonald House New York]]
* [[Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ronald McDonald House Charities}}
* [http://www.rmhc.org Ronald McDonald House official website]
* [http://www.rmhc.or.th Ronald McDonald House Charities Thailand official website]

{{McDonald's}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ronald McDonald House Charities}}
[[Category:1974 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:McDonald's charities]]
[[Category:Health charities in the United States]]
[[Category:Children's charities based in the United States]]
[[Category:Charities based in Illinois]]
[[Category:Oak Brook, Illinois]]
[[Category:Organizations for children with health issues]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1974]]
[[Category:Medical and health organizations based in Illinois]]