Ronald McDonald House
The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia over thirty years ago, inspired by the empathy for families with seriously ill children needing care at hospitals far from home.
In 1974 when Philadelphia Eagles tight end Fred Hill was in the hospital where his daughter was being treated for leukemia, he noticed a number of families living and sleeping in the waiting rooms because they couldn’t afford hotel rooms. This inspired Hill to rally his teammates around a campaign to create a home where these families – and others like them — could stay nearby.
Ten years later, Ronald McDonald House Charities® was founded to carry out the work of what has become one of the most far-reaching non-profit agencies in the world. Dedicated in memory of McDonald’s founder and children’s advocate Ray Kroc, the Charity now supports about 293 Ronald McDonald Houses serving over 10 million families worldwide.
Ronald McDonald House
Louisville, Kentucky
Founded in 1984, Ronald McDonald House began with only 19 guestrooms. In 2003, RMH grew to 29 guestrooms, increasing its overall capacity more than 50%.
In June 2007, Kosair Charities* provided a $1.25 million grant award to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana, allowing it to pay off the building mortgage purchased in 2005 and expand its facility to serve even more families.
The expansion was completed in 2009, building out the fourth floor of its facility at 550 South First Street in Downtown Louisville. The expansion project included:
- The addition of new guestrooms on the fourth floor
- The renovation of several existing guestrooms on the first floor, making them more handicap accessible
- The renovation of the main dining room area to accommodate additional families and more individuals in wheelchairs
- The creation of two suites with special accommodations for patients with low immunities
*Kosair Charities helps children from hometowns throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana and has provided $120 million for children’s medical research and care. They have recently committed an additional $156 million for the betterment of our community’s children.
A very special thank you goes to our friends at Kosair Charities. Ronald McDonald Charities of Kentuckiana and Kosair Charities have worked collaboratively for over a decade to serve children and families in our community. We are very grateful for this strong partnership.
Who can Stay:
- Families with children ages 21 or younger who are being treated or currently receiving outpatient care in a Louisville-area hospital.
- A qualifying family must have a permanent residence outside of Jefferson County, Kentucky, Clark County, Indiana or Floyd County, Indiana.
- Each family must be referred by a physician or hospital personnel.
- A nominal daily rate of $15 is charged if families can afford the rate, however, nobody is turned away if they are unable to pay.
- All families are asked to do a daily chore during their stay to help the house run efficiently.
For more information about staying at Ronald McDonald House, please contact:
Jana Goemmer
jana@rmhc-kentuckiana.org
House Manager
502.581.1416
Interested in volunteering at Ronald McDonald House, click here.
