Parents of an ill child are not prepared for the emotional and financial toll an illness takes on the entire family. Today, highly specialized hospitals can save the lives of children who would have been lost ten or even five years ago. However, because of the complexities of health problems hospital stays for critically ill children are growing longer. In addition, specialized treatment tends to be located in centralized and expensive urban areas like San Francisco.
The RMH of San Francisco works to keep these families rested, healthy, strong and pulling together at this challenging time. The RMH of San Francisco has developed two programs, the lodging program and the Child’s Bedside Program to assist families in and out of the hospital.
Plans for a Ronald McDonald House at Mission Bay
UCSF Children’s Hospital has invited our House to develop an in-hospital Ronald McDonald House at their new facility to be completed at Mission Bay by approximately 2014. We are planning to continue to operate our House at 1640 Scott Street; UCSF runs a regular shuttle available to families between the Scott Street neighborhood and Mission Bay.
The House also plans to provide services throughout the new hospital – open to all families. Most patient rooms will provide space for two parents to sleep in along with their ill child. Our volunteers and staff will provide programs and support to these families in addition to the ones staying in our in-hospital House and the House on Scott Street.
To make our dream of a second House a reality, the Ronald McDonald House will need more helping hands and caring hearts – a lot more love. Whether you live near or far away from Ronald McDonald House, families that we serve come from your community – they are your neighbors. Please join us. You are the heart of the House that Love Built.
Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco Facts
- Since the House opened in 1989, we have provided over 60,000 nights of housing to more than 3,500 families.
- The average stay is about 16 nights.
- Twenty percent of our families need to stay 30 days or longer, some for months.
- Fifty-six percent of patients whose families are served have not reached their first birthday.
- The mission and efficiency of Ronald McDonald House has been acknowledged by its designation as a top-100 charity by Worth magazine.
- Families come to our House from 52 Californian counties, 42 states, and 25 countries.
- Our house is the 119th of over 270 Ronald McDonald Houses around the world.
- The Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco is a completely independent, 501 (c)(3) nonprofit agency and relies on generous, private support to fund its operations.
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