Ronald McDonald House Charities: A House Away From Home
Life’s struggles rarely occur on an orderly schedule, and moments of urgency can quickly turn into overwhelming ones. For a parent of a child dealing with a major illness, there is no alternative. That child needs necessary treatment and care, no matter where it takes them -- but that can be far from home, and certainly can separate families already dealing with more than they may ever have before.
Since the early 1970s, the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) have been making an impact on lives with facilities that house the families of ill children in the belief that, at such a crucial moment, the last thing that child needs is to be separated from their parents. By providing places where family members can stay, in close proximity to the hospital of treatment, Ronald McDonald House provides that bit of stability and closeness that can make all the difference in a young patient’s recovery.
The organization has grown exponentially since the inception of the first location and the history behind RMHC is complex. Among the facility's initial patrons in 1974 were Dr. Audrey Evans of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Leonard Tose, then Owner of the Eagles; Jim Murray, then Eagles’ General Manager; and Ed Rensi, a McDonald’s Regional Manager.
Ryan Wilkins, Director for Ronald McDonald House Charities in Ohio explained that the unifying figure in the formation of the Ronald McDonald House had a specific and very personal link. "There was a player for the Philadelphia Eagles named Fred Hill who had a daughter, Kim Hill, who had leukemia. She was being treated at the hospital. He saw families who were sleeping in the lobby of the hospital (to stay close to their kids) and he thought perhaps there was something that could be done for those families."
Four years earlier the fast food chain introduced Shamrock Shakes, a seasonal menu addition. "(Hill and the football Eagles) decided to do a local fundraiser and, together with McDonald’s area franchisees, took all the proceeds from the Shamrock Shake sales," Wilkins said. "They raised over a million dollars and purchased a house across the street from the hospital, renovated it, and turned it into the very first Ronald McDonald House." The first unit opened on October 15, 1974.
"When that happened, people all over the country then clamored to do the exact same kind of thing in their own town," Wilkins said. "That’s how each Ronald McDonald House opened – as a local grassroots effort started by volunteers and people who have a passion for providing a place to stay for families of seriously ill children."
Each Ronald McDonald House offers home-cooked meals, private bedrooms, and playrooms for children. Some of these facilities also have special suites for children with suppressed immune systems, non-clinical and sibling support services, recreational activities, and accredited education programs. Depending on the house, patients can stay in the facility with the parents, but it is generally designed to be a place for the families while the children are in nearby hospitals. Families either stay at no cost or are asked to make a donation up to $25 per day, also depending on the house. The RMHC Global Policy is that families are never turned away; if it is not possible for them to pay, the fee is waived.
RMHC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, and McDonald's remains their largest, though not their sole, corporate donor. Often being a revenue-neutral operation, with no shortage of families that need a place to stay, each independently run Ronald McDonald House needs to generate funding. One of those fundraising efforts is RMHC’s vehicle donation program. "The RMHC established the program at the end of 2010 with the purpose of having vehicles donated to us as a charity, then selling them at auction to raise funds," he said.
To introduce fleet managers to the program, Wilkins accompanied NAFA Affiliate Committee Chair and Safelite AutoGlass Strategic Account Manager Mark Klein in the Safelite Autoglass booth during NAFA’s 2012 I&E in St. Louis, MO. "One of the unique opportunities for fleet administrators is to donate vehicles coming off their fleets, rather than selling them at auction," Wilkins said.
Ronald McDonald House Charities has a specific link with Safelite AutoGlass, which paved the way for the appearance at the 2012 I&E. Safelite CEO Tom Feeney is a Member of the Board for RMHC, Ohio. His company has integrated donating a portion of their end-of-lifecycle vehicles to RMHC auctions. "And the opportunity is there for any vehicle really; from late model cars; to tractors, trailers, and RVs; even boats. Any sort of vehicle can be of value, and we can sell pretty much any vehicle no matter what condition it is in."
Wilkins said that one of the benefits of Ronald McDonald House as a charitable entity is that the money goes directly into the operation of the individual facilities. "The service we provide is actually the facility itself, so when people make a donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities every dollar is used to maintain these properties."
For a child faced with very mature medical issues, having family close by in a building like the Ronald McDonald House can make the difference between urgent moments and overwhelming ones.
To find out more about Ronald McDonald House Charities vehicle donation programs, visit www.carshelp.org or call toll-free: 855-CARS-HELP (855-227-7435).