RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF SOUTHERN COLORADO INC

RMHCSC is working to help children battling severe illness and injury by supporting their entire family. Research on family centered care shows that when a child is hospitalized, the presence, love and support of their family helps both the pediatric patient and their family cope better with the many ills and obstacles they face. Being close by allows parents to better communicate with their child’s medical team and improves adherence to complicated treatment plans. The Ronald McDonald House becomes a "home-away-from-home" for families. It keeps them together, saves them time, saves them money and allows them to focus all of their energy on helping their child get better.

By the end of 2025, RMHCSC's goal is to register 17,600 family encounters while directly serving 3,100 children and families annually.

Families served at the House and Family Rooms are referred by caseworkers from the community’s hospitals. Families stay an average of seven nights. However, some stay for months as their children receive treatment.
RMHCSC stays in contact with each family and hospital staff during their stay to ensure they are receiving the support they need. No referred family is ever turned away. If the House is at capacity, RMHCSC pays for families to stay at a hotel close to the hospital while it provides transportation and delivers meals.

In August, 2019, RMHCSC opened a brand new 25,000 square foot, ADA compliant Ronald McDonald House at 4223 Royal Pine Drive. The new facility can serve 20 families at one time. The House includes large, private bedrooms/bathrooms, generous community spaces, multiple indoor and outdoor recreation areas for children of all ages, a large dining room and two kitchens that provide healthy, nutritious daily meals and snacks for families. The House is located within eyesight and walking distance of Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Colorado uses a team of 5 full-time staff members, 11 part-time staff members and 199 volunteers. The organization relies on its volunteer network to prepare meals, keep the House and Family Rooms clean, raise funds and support guests. Many volunteers once stayed at the House or used the Family Rooms when their child was hospitalized.

Last year, RMHCSC provided 3,582 nights of service to 553 families at the Ronald McDonald House. In addition, 302 families used the Family Rooms located inside the hospital walls. RMHCSC uses a survey as its measurement tool to determine the program’s success. To date, 100% of guests that completed the House's survey express extreme satisfaction with their stay including their rooms, meals, proximity to their hospitalized child and assistance from staff and volunteers.

Since opening in 1987, RMHCSC has kept almost 12,000 families together during unforeseen times of medical crisis.