Ronald Mcdonald House Of Dallas Inc

KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER, INSPIRING STRENGTH, AND GIVING LOVE AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING ESSENTIAL MEDICAL CARE.

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF DALLAS (RMHD)WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1981 AS DALLAS' ONLY TEMPORARY HOME-AWAY-FROM-HOME FOR FAMILIES WITH SERIOUSLY ILL OR INJURED CHILDREN RECEIVING ESSENTIAL MEDICAL CARE AND HAS SERVED 41,000 FAMILIES OVER THE YEARS.WITH APPROXIMATELY 78,000 SQUARE FEET, THE HOUSE OFFERS 77 PRIVATE BEDROOMS, SIX LONG-TERM STAY SUITES AND 6 TRANSPLANT APARTMENTS AVAILABLE FOR BONE MARROW, STEM CELL OR ORGAN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS WHO REQUIRE ISOLATION FROM THE REST OF THE FAMILIES IN THE HOUSE. ADDITIONALLY, THE HOUSE HAS MANY COMMON AREAS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES AND INTERESTS, INCLUDING A LIBRARY, MEDIA ROOM, CRAFT ROOM, PLAY ROOM, GAME ROOM, TEEN ROOM, CHAPEL, MEDITATION GARDEN, SPLASH PAD, AND LARGE OUTDOOR PLAY AREAS. TWO LARGE COMMUNAL KITCHENS AND A DINING ROOM PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FAMILIES TO SHARE MEALS TOGETHER, WHICH ARE PROVIDED 3 TIMES A DAY BY COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, OR TO PREPARE THEIR OWN FOOD IF THEY CHOOSE. THERE IS ALSO A DAY PROGRAM WHICH OFFERS FAMILIES OF HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN A PLACE TO REST AND REGROUP AWAY FROM THE STRESS OF THE HOSPITAL BUT DO NOT NEED AN OVERNIGHT STAY.COVID-19 HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON RMHD AND THE WAY FAMILIES WERE SERVED. VACCINATED VOLUNTEERS WERE WELCOMED BACK IN JUNE 2021 AND COOKING GROUPS WERE SLOWLY BROUGHT BACK WITH NO MORE THAN ONE COOKING GROUP PER DAY AND EACH WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS. ALL THE COMMON SPACES IN THE HOUSE REMAINED CLOSED AND ALL MEALS WERE SERVED IN SINGLE SERVING CONTAINERS. FAMILIES ATE THESE IN THEIR GUEST ROOMS OR OUTSIDE IN THE COURTYARD RATHER THAN IN THE DINING ROOM. RMHD EXPERIENCED HIGHER THAN USUAL FOOD COSTS AS MANY MEALS HAD TO BE CATERED. EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF COOKING GROUPS, AND WITH MOST MEALS BEING CATERED, FAMILIES WERE STILL SERVED THREE MEALS A DAY. PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS, INCLUDING VACCINE REQUIREMENTS, MASKING, AND HIGHTENENED CLEANING WERE EFFECTIVE AND THERE WAS NO SPREAD OF COVID CASES AT RMHD. THE FAMILY ROOM AT SCOTTISH RITE FOR CHILDREN IN FRISCO REMAINED CLOSE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR AND RE-OPENED IN JUNE 2021. WHILE RMHD WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE USUAL ACTIVITIES, THE HOUSE WAS ABLE TO HOST A FEW OUTDOOR, SOCIALLY DISTANCED ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS PROVIDE ACTIVITIES VIRTUALLY OR INDIVIDUALLY SO FAMILIES COULD PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN ROOMS. IN 2021, OVER 800 FAMILES WERE SERVED WITH A TOTAL OF 8,554 NIGHTS. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY WAS 20 NIGHTS. APPROXIMATELY 73% OF OUR FAMILIES TRAVELED FROM WITHIN TEXAS, 22% FROM OUT OF STATE, AND 5% INTERNATIONALLY. THREE MEALS A DAY CONTINUED TO BE SERVE THE ENTIRE YEAR, INCLUDING DURING THE PANDEMIC. SINCE OPENING ITS DOORS, THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF DALLAS HAS SERVED MORE THAN 41,000 FAMILIES. WHEN CHECKING OUT, FAMILIES ARE NEVER ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THEIR STAY. HOWEVER, FAMILIES ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO DONATE IF THEY CHOSE. THE COST PER NIGHT TO HOUSE A FAMILY IS APPROXIMATELY $130 - A COST LARGELY CONVERED BY INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE DONORS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND SPECIAL EVENTS.