THOMASVILLE — Representatives of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tallahassee (RMHC) shared information with the Rotary Club of Thomasville on Thursday about services available to local families with children 21 and younger receiving medical care in Tallahassee.
The Ronald McDonald House program began in 1974 when Pediatric Oncologist Dr. Audrey Evans noticed many of her patients’ families were not willing to leave their bedside. She saw family members sleeping in hallways and eating dinner from vending machines. After teaming up with Fred Hill of the Philadelphia Eagles and a local McDonald’s franchise, she opened the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia.
Ronald McDonald Houses are now located in more than 60 countries and regions, including Tallahassee, which helps families in need of a place to stay who currently reside outside of Tallahassee.
Beyond providing a place to stay, RMHC is also known for its family rooms inside the hospitals. These rooms are for family members who physically cannot or will not leave their child. The rooms provide a place where they can take a shower, nap, and reset. Family members inside the hospital will also see RMHC’s mobile carts or hospitality carts, which bring treats or teddy bears to parents and family members who may need them.
Those staying at the Ronald McDonald House are also in for a treat, as the charity provides warm meals, generously cooked by volunteers, to help ease the burden for mothers who may have just given birth unexpectedly or residents whose lives seem uncertain at the moment.
However, there is a full kitchen area at the Ronald McDonald House for residents who want to cook their own meal, as it gives them a sense of normalcy.
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The Ronald McDonald House of Tallahassee consists of nine bedrooms and is considered to be one of the smaller houses.
“It’s great, because it gives us the opportunity to really connect with our families,“ said Beth Sundstrom, Board of Directors member. “Having a smaller house allows us to build relationships with them.”
The house is located just a short walk from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, but the House also has a van that transports families to and from TMH as well.
Sundstrom explained that most of the families RMHC of Tallahassee currently serves come from the Thomas County area, and they can stay as short or as long as they need. However, they’ve had individuals come from as far as California to stay with them.
“We just had a family stay with us for 113 days,” she shared. “She was a physician from Miami, and you can only imagine what you would have to pay for a hotel and for food while your child was here for 113 days. They were a joy to serve.”
The RMHC of Tallahassee is not just for parents. Sundstrom said siblings, grandparents, aunts, and uncles of the child receiving care can also stay there.
“Anyone who has anything to do with the child receiving daily medical care can stay with us,” she said.
While the RMHC is not income-based, it does rely on a referral system.
“The majority of families who come and stay with us have babies in the NICU,” she said. “We have good relationships with nurses in the NICU and the Pediatric Unit, and they recognize a need when a family is from out of town and doesn’t have a place to stay, and give a referral.”
From there, RMHC completes an in-house verification process, including a background check to ensure all other residents at the house are safe. Once approved, the family can check in and stay as long as they need.
“Anyone is welcome to stay with us; we don’t look at finances or anything like that.”
Once inside the home, families are welcome to use the common area with a play area for siblings, the kitchen, and the 24/7 laundry facility.
Upon checkout, the house has something extra special for new mothers and fathers who have been in survival mode and have not had time to purchase the needed baby items for their newborn.
RMHC of Tallahassee has a “baby boutique” in the back of the house, where new parents can find everything from cribs to clothing.
“It gives me chills still to see how those families are overwhelmed by the generosity of it, especially during a time when they are bringing their baby home and they’ve been under the care of nurses and doctors,” Sundstrom said. “Being able to provide that is such a blessing.”
Sundstrom said the house also tries to provide mental and physical help whenever possible, with the parents being on their own for the first time.
Sundstrom explained RMHC of Tallahassee is not state-funded, and none of what they do would be possible without donations and help from volunteers. She encouraged Rotarians who wanted to get involved to consider signing up to donate a meal once a month or to sponsor a room at the house, as they are currently looking for ways to upgrade the house and ensure every bedroom has its own private bathroom.
For those interested in donating or volunteering, visit rmhctallahasse.org