Ronald McDonald House

Description

The mandate of Ronald McDonald House is to provide accommodation for families of sick children traveling to Saskatoon to receive medical treatment but the Saskatchewan Ronald McDonald House offers so much more

When children are sick Ronald McDonald House gives them what they need most their families by providing a quothomeawayfromhomequot for them We truly believe that having family by their side during an illness improves the health and well being of the child

The Saskatchewan Ronald McDonald House prides itself on maintaining a warm comforting safe atmosphere where families have the opportunity to connect with other families in similar situations Youll often find families enjoying fresh coffee and baking in the community style kitchen sharing their stories You will never feel alone at Ronald McDonald House

Through the doors of Ronald McDonald House you will find families struggling with a childs fragile health and at the same time dealing with the routine necessities of everyday life

A childs illness can put a terrible strain on a family both emotionally and financially but Saskatchewan Ronald McDonald House can ease some of the financial burden by offering beautiful accommodations for a nominal 1000 per night fee

History

Sask RMH History
The Saskatchewan Ronald McDonald House officially opened September 12th 1985 but planning began 3 years before that Seed money for the construction of Ronald McDonald House came from the Kinsmen Foundation Saskatchewan McDonalds Restaurants and the Ray Kroc Foundation The rest of the money was raised from individuals service groups and corporate donations

How Did Ronald McDonald Houses Start
Ronald McDonald Houses started in 1973 with a threeyearold girl The girl Kim Hill daughter of Philadelphia Eagles football player Fred Hill was receiving treatment for leukemia at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia Determined to do something to benefit families using Childrens Hospital Hill and his Eagles team mates approached Kims physician Dr Audrey Evans Head haematologistoncologist Dr Evans expressed the serious need for a home facility near the hospital

This led to a joint fundraising effort with the Philadelphia area McDonalds restaurant owners which in turn resulted in the purchase and renovation of an older sevenbedroom home near the hospital

The Philadelphia House opened in 1974 and was named Ronald McDonald House not just because of the fundraising support of the local McDonalds restaurants but because of the positive hopeful and funloving feeling this beloved clown inspires in children

After the 1975 opening of the second Ronald McDonald House in Chicago McDonalds Restaurants of Canada flew a group of Torontobased parents of children challenged with oncology related illnesses to Chicago to visit the House These parents along with representatives from the Hospital for Sick Children and local McDonalds restaurants developed the first House to open outside the US After the 1981 launch of the Toronto House additional Houses soon opened in Montreal Halifax Winnipeg Ottawa Calgary London Edmonton Saskatoon Quebec City and Hamilton

Located close to paediatric medical facilities and capable of welcoming approximately fourteen twenty families at one time each House is operated by an independent nonprofit organization and relies on individual and corporate donors for the products and funds required to run the Houses

Today there are more than 282 independently owned and operated Houses in 31 countries ranging from Canada and Mexico to Great Britain and Hong Kong Offering more than 3000 bedrooms worldwide and supported by more than 25000 volunteers who donate one million hours of their time annually since 1974 Ronald McDonald Houses have provided the hope and help for more than 10 million family members that is the heart of every good home