The Ronald McDonald House was founded in Philadelphia in 1973 by Fred Hill. Since its start, the organization has grown to have 125 local chapters in 57 countries that have a total of 322 houses, 177 family rooms, and 48 care mobiles. Families with children that require extended hospital stays can stay at a Ronald McDonald house and be provided with meals, laundry facilities, playrooms for the children, recreational activities, transportation to and from the hospital, and, most importantly, a support system of other families. Families are not expected to pay for their stay, which is why donations are such an important part of the organization’s stability.
The Lexington area Ronald McDonald House was started in 1984 by a group of volunteers. Since its opening, it has served families from every county in Kentucky, 38 states, and 10 foreign countries. In 1997, the house was expanded to 20 rooms, and the organization was expanded through the creation of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass. A care mobile was funded for eastern Kentucky in 2005, and a family room was established in the Kentucky Children’s Hospital in 2009.
Overall, I think that the Ronald McDonald House charities are a wonderful organization that has helped millions of families since its start. I am excited to start volunteering with them, and I can’t wait to meet all of the wonderful families staying at the Ronald McDonald House here in Lexington.
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