A Dream Fulfilled For Many Families

LOMA LINDA>> The Ronald McDonald House is a home away from home for these families of critically ill children. Located across the street from Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House is the closest accommodation for families. After a long day at the hospital, parents and siblings return to the Ronald McDonald House where food is ready and waiting, a comfortable and private room is available, and other families dealing with the same turmoil are nearby to offer comfort, solace and reassurance. With a mission of providing comfort, care and support to children and families, the Ronald McDonald House was hitting close to 100 percent occupancy in 2000. A dream turned into a goal as money was put away in a capital campaign fund knowing that they would work to have additional rooms for families in the future. By the mid-2000s, the occupancy of the house was constantly being maxed out, and a building committee was formed to look at what was needed to expand. The whole team worked to keep the project alive and set a goal for $10 million dollars for the capital campaign. With 6 million people in the 200,000 square mile region, there is only one children’s trauma center in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties - Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH). With only one place for families and children to go, a need for more rooms was vital to accommodate the families. During this period, the house was putting 10-15 families a night in hotels which was costing the house $100,000 - $200,000 annually. San Manuel Band of Mission Indians was a major donor in providing hotel rooms. However, those families would not receive the benefits of the comradery that only a family going through something similar could offer. Many sponsors who donated money to the hotel program asked how long the temporary program would last. With the goal of expanding for all the future families, the Ronald McDonald House Board made the difficult decision to cut the hotel program. Soon after, without even being asked to donate, one of the McDonald’s owners-operators in Los Angeles gave $50,000, recognizing the need for the house to expand. The gift also raised the awareness of the beginning of a capital campaign. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California helped coordinate a gift from the McDonald’s Owner Operators Association of Southern California at all McDonald’s in the region. Together, they pledged $1.25 million to the expansion. A total of $8.5 million was needed just to begin construction and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians generously gave $5.6 million to add to the funds so construction could begin. Many individual McDonald’s owners and operators have also reached for their personal pocketbooks to contribute to the expansion, along with other foundations and organizations that have come forward to help donate to the goal. With a new goal of $12 million, $11.1 million has been raised as of today. In addition to the monetary donations, many companies saw the vision for the future and have generously donated supplies and their time. The concrete on the property was donated by Robertson’s Ready Mix, new furniture in the house was donated by Ashley Furniture, new office furniture was donated by Goforth & Marti, and ceiling fans were donated by Home Depot and installed by Home Depot employees. The new house is a gift to the community from the community and has been rebranded as The Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House to be more inclusive to the areas it serves including the low desert, Temecula, Riverside, Ontario, Fontana, Barstow, Victorville, Indio and more.