Our goal is to provide a home away from home for sick kids and their families while they’re in Omaha for treatment. And we mean a home. Not a “home.”
So we focus on keeping things ordinary. Normal. Sometimes even, yes, boring. We provide things like comfortable rooms with warm beds, ample closet space, and a decent-sized bathroom. Laundry facilities. A ginormous kitchen. Private food and medicine storage. Areas designed just for fun (okay, we’re not always boring) and relaxation.
We want to give our families every opportunity to relax while living through what is often a highly stressful situation. So we do whatever it takes to make it happen.
In 1994, we opened our House with nine guest rooms. In 2000, we doubled (and then some) our capacity to 20. In 2019, we doubled down on doubling up and expanded to 40 guest rooms. In 2020, we hosted a tick under 200 families from 26 states. Those families spent an average of 45 days with us, and half were first-time guests.
Our House is truly one-of-a-kind (just like every other House you may visit). We offer a strategically implemented combination of capacity, programming, assistance, and amenities designed to meet the specific needs of the region we serve.
Our success is a direct result of the community at large [note: “at large” should not be hyphenated because it comes after community] combined with the support of our local McDonald’s franchisee group. All funding is local. It comes from local sources and it stays locally with us. And those funds are, of course, vital to our mission – it costs $120/night to host a family. And while we do ask families to contribute $25/night during their stay, no one is ever turned away due to their financial status. After all, we’re named for a fun-loving clown and not The Grinch.
Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha may be named after an internationally famous big-shoed burgermeister, but our mission and funding is decidedly local.
Our funding is raised throughout the year at several RMHC events, the collection of pop can tabs (seriously, it helps pay our electric bill), and various kind-hearted corporate and individual donors from around the community.
Additional funding comes in part from McDonald’s Owners of Nebraska and Western Iowa, the regional McDonald’s franchisee group, who support us as title sponsors of our annual golf tournament, via the donation boxes at McDonald’s drive-thrus, and many assorted other forms of generosity.
It costs $120 per night to host a family. And while we suggest that each family contribute $20 towards that amount, no one is ever turned away due to financial reasons.
So, if you’d like to donate and perhaps sponsor a night, or if you’re more of the volunteering type, call us today at 402-346-9377, and we will find the best fit for you.
There is clinical research supporting that Ronald McDonald House is the best housing option for families when they are away from home and their child needs medical care. These are a few of the benefits that families receive while staying at Ronald McDonald House:
Below is a list that captures many of our partners and programs.
To learn more about the House, or to visit us and take a tour, please call us at 402-346-9377