Ronald McDonald House Charities

By: Manaswita Tappata

It all started with one. Just one 3-year old girl diagnosed with leukemia in 1969 was able to trigger an international charity. That child was Kim Hill whose parents worked with a local doctor, the Philadelphia Eagles, McDonald's, and their community to build the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, PA. Today there are 300 RMHs and programs in 52 countries worldwide. 

The Ronald McDonald House Charities help stabilize and provide resources to the families of children who are ill. The Ronald McDonald Houses are built in close proximity to Children's Hospital and therefore are able to provide a home for the families of children. 

The houses relieve families of having to travel from their home to the hospital each time, wasting precious time and energy. This extra help often holds a family together and prevents division by keeping everyone close. Of course, especially for the children facing medical problems, always having their mom and dad close by is priceless. 

In addition to holding together families, RMHC also provides many services for them. They provide home-cooked meals, private bedrooms, playrooms for children, and usually have recreational activities. All of these services are of little or no cost to the families, and are possible with the aid of selfless volunteers and generous donations. 

There are five RMHC locations in Pennsylvania and as the Youth Serving Youth (YSY) Project for this year, Key Clubbers are starting to get involved with their local houses by volunteering their time, talents, or cooking abilities. However, not all of these locations are easy to reach for some, so one way to contribute and do your part is by collecting soda tabs. In addition, some houses collect glossy paper for recycling. All of the profits from these collections go to sustaining the houses and helping the children. Remember, all it takes is one person and one action to make a difference.