Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley
Categories
Personal Services & Care Social Services
About
Since 1982, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley provides the comforts of home for families with ill or injured children receiving medical care in Fargo. We serve over 900 families a year through our two main programs: the Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald Family Room.
Our 2 core programs enable families to spend more time with their sick children, to interact with their doctors, and to be involved in important decisions about their child’s care. Much of a family's ability to stay close to their child during illness is related to unexpected costs that families face and their means to cover these. Costs of hotel rooms, eating out, traveling from home, missed work, and medical bills are just a few challenges that families face.
Our first program is our Ronald McDonald House which provides a welcoming place to stay for families dealing with the stress and fear of an ill or injured child. The house is more than a place to sleep; it is a place of comfort, compassion, and convenience for families during a very trying time. Families can stay for a day, a week, a month or sometimes much longer. The Ronald McDonald House eases some of the emotional and financial burden that families face by providing meals, groceries, laundry services, and family-centered spaces where guests can relax and refresh. While families can donate $20 per night toward the cost of their stay if able, there is no requirement for payment for families to utilize our programs. In fact, 91% of our families pay nothing to stay at the Ronald McDonald House.
Our second program is our Ronald McDonald Family Room which is located within the Essentia Health hospital in Fargo. The Family Room provides family and caregivers of NICU and peds patients a place to rest just steps away from their child’s bedside and includes a kitchenette fully stocked with snacks, coffee and more, a shower, TV, and more. This space allows families some respite so they can be strong for their sick child throughout the long days of testing and treatment. This space is offered at no charge and is open daily for families.
Video Media