Ronald McDonald House Charities - Upper Midwest

In 2023 we served 5,770 families across our five locations, providing $6.8 million in out-of-pocket savings to those families. In addition, family surveys reported 98% of the families we served rated our programs as 'very good or 'excellent; felt 'better supported' because of our services; and felt 'less stressed and better able to cope' with their child's health crisis due to our programs and services. Lodging: The Ronald McDonald House-Oak Street in Minneapolis features 48 private rooms available to families living at least 40 miles from the Twin Cities. Last year it served 812 families, provided 12,838 nights of lodging and saved families approximately $3.7 million in lodging, meals, basic daily supplies and more. Lodging: The Ronald McDonald House at Children's, Minneapolis is an in-hospital facility with 15 private rooms that serves families with a child in the hospital's NICU or PICU. In 2023, it served 2,467 families, provided 4,721 nights of lodging, welcomed 63,766 visitors, and saved families more than $1.8 million in lodging and meal costs.Lodging: The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, with four overnight rooms, serves the pediatric trauma and disability community. In 2023, this location supported 1,438 families, provided 1,286 nights of lodging and $500,000 in cost savings to families.Lodging: The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Children's, St Paul, with four overnight rooms, primarily serves families from the east metro, including western Wisconsin. In 2023, this site served 914 families, provided 1,230 nights of lodging and $400,000 in cost savings to families.Lodging: The Ronald McDonald House Northland in Duluth, MN opened in February 2021 to serve families with children undergoing treatment at Essentia Health. Last year it served 140 families, provided 1,154 nights of lodging and $350,000 in cost savings. Meals: To support our comprehensive meal program, we developed and expanded our relationships with food industry players, including manufacturers, distributors, event centers, food service suppliers, restaurants and more, and as a result, benefited from more than $755,000 worth of donated meals, ingredients, and supplies. We also renovated our donation receiving area, purchased commercial grade refrigerators and freezers, redesigned our dry goods pantries, and purchased vehicles to facilitate donation pick-ups as well as meal deliveries to our three hospital-based sites. The conclusion of the meal program project was the replacement of an old, residential-style kitchen at RMH-Oak St. with a 900 square foot kitchen featuring commercial grade appliances and materials from which our meal team prepares 2,500+ meals per week.

Family Services: The RMH School at RMH-Oak St. provided 909 student days in 2023 vs. 606 in 2022, with most of the students in grades K-5. In addition, the after-school enrichment program provided 696 student days and included activities like gym and outdoor activities, art projects, card and board games, imaginative play and more. In 2023, the Family Service team increased the number and variety of activities and events offered at all five locations. Adult only programming included Caregivers' Nights, exercise classes, health and wellness activities and more, while child/youth offerings included a robust after school and summer program, arts and crafts, Bingo, exercise classes and more. In addition, Camp RMH, held in the summer, offers a unique opportunity for kids (both patients and siblings) to participate in programming with peers in a variety of settings. They might be sailing one day and flying kites the next. Summer camp is both onsite and at different community spaces. In 2023, Camp RMH included 205 onsite experiences and 116 field trip experiences.

Volunteer Services:In 2023, we benefited from the support of 9,175 volunteers who worked 46,218 hours which is the equivalent of 22 full-time employees. New Cooks for Kids (CFK) program options, including an opportunity for groups to sponsor a meal using an RMH-supplied menu and ingredients as well as adding lunch CFK shifts contributed to the increase in volunteers. In addition, expansion of individual volunteer opportunities and off site volunteer opportunities (i.e. assembling snack packs, dating food products) increased significantly last year.