Opened in December of 1982, RMHC is celebrating its 41st year in Fargo, providing housing and support for families with hospitalized children. The organization operates two main programs. The first is a Ronald McDonald House, akin to a hotel, open to families with children in the hospital, particularly those from outside the Fargo-Moorhead area. Families are connected with Ronald McDonald House through referrals from hospitals such as Sanford, Essentia, and Prairie St. John’s.
Each family has its own guest room and access to a large kitchen. Volunteers help cook meals and bake goods for the families. The house also features a playroom, game room, exercise room, and other amenities to create a home-like environment. Families can stay as long as necessary without charge, though donations are welcome. In fact, about 90% of families stay for free.
The second program is the Ronald McDonald Family Room within the neonatal intensive care unit at Essentia Health. It serves as an expanded waiting room with a shower, kitchenette, play area, and lounge. Volunteers stock the room with snacks and coffee and are available to answer questions and offer support to those with a child in the hospital.
The Ronald McDonald House ensures families can stay together, rest and recharge to remain strong for their child, interact with families going through similar experiences, communicate with their child’s medical team, enjoy homecooked meals, and receive compassionate hospitality from staff and volunteers. They can focus on the health of their child, rather than grocery shopping, cleaning, or cooking meals. This is all done to reduce stress and financial burden when families must travel far from home to access medical care for their child.
