Ronald Mcdonald House Charities Of Central Florida Inc

Programs: In 2017 we focused on stabilizing and sustaining our ronald mcdonald house program with the addition of our third ronald mcdonald house. It was the first full year of operating three ronald mcdonald houses, with a third new operations staff, a new building, a third hospital campus, two aging ronald mcdonald houses, and most importantly, an additional 20 percent more families needing our services. Staff development and refurbishing plans for our two aging houses were priorities in 2017. We established many new partnerships with experts in the fields of training, customer relations, maintenance and safety. It is of the utmost importance to our children's charity to continue to deliver high standards of quality, cleanliness, friendliness, security and safety within our overall ronald mcdonald house program. Funds provided by grants of excellence through rmhc, inc. , helped assist in the areas of development and technology. We enhanced our giving programs, providing more opportunities for friends and supporters to get engaged with our organization. We grew our cornerstone society supporters, redesigned our adopt-a-room program, and streamlined our events for more efficiencies. Our key initiative group had their most successful year ever. We served more than 2,600 families in 2017. This number represented a 20 percent increase from the previous year. We recorded a 79 percent occupancy for the year, which equates to full occupancy most nights. The first ronald mcdonald house in central florida opened in december 1996 on the campus of florida hospital for children with 13 bedrooms. We expanded to 22 bedrooms in 1998. The second house opened on the campus of arnold palmer children's hospital in 2003 with 22 bedrooms. In 2006 we expanded to provide 37 bedrooms. With the opening of our third ronald mcdonald house we now serve 74 families each night. All of our ronald mcdonald houses are located on the campus of the pediatric hospitals, just minutes, door to door, from house to hospital. Each of the houses offer a welcoming, comforting, clean, and safe environment. Each house provides a bedroom and a private bath, with 24-hour access to a fully furnished kitchen and pantry, dining room, gathering rooms, laundry facilities, and computers. The houses provide a wonderful place for families to sit and talk and share their stories. Although the illnesses of the children vary from neo-natal to pediatric cancer, to name just a few - one thing each family has in common and can share with one another is the worry, concern, and love of their child. They support one another. A staff member is on site 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Volunteers assist staff from 9 am to 9 pm with three, four-hour shifts each day. They help with chores, answer phones, assist families checking in and out, and most importantly, they are there to support families in their toughest of times. The only requirements to stay at the ronald mcdonald houses in orlando are to complete an application with a referral from the child's physician and complete a background check for approval. We ask that families donate $20 to help offset the $84 cost per night; however, no family is ever turned away for their inability to contribute. In 2017, less than 30 percent of families were able to contribute any amount toward their stay. To date, through 2017, we have served 26,000 families from 67 countries, 50 states, and 65 counties in florida. 53% of our families come from central florida. The highest number of families come from the following five counties; brevard 16. 8%, volusia 11. 4%, lake 7. 5%, orange 5. 9% and osceola 4. 6%. More than 10,000 volunteers work in the houses, assist with special events, help with community projects, and cook meals throughout the year, donating more than 25,000 hours to help provide support and comfort to our families in medical crisis. Volunteers from corporations, civic organizations, and community groups participate in our share-a-meal program throughout the year. They come to the houses with groceries they purchase and prepare meals for our families - often for lunch and dinner at all houses. At 6:30 p. M. Each night, families know that there will be a nutritious, home-made meal waiting for them. They do not have to worry about having to fix a meal or clean up, they can return to the hospital again to visit their child. An extension of our ronald mcdonald house program is our rmhccf family gathering room outreach program within the pediatric hospitals. The rmhccf family room at arnold palmer hospital is located on the fourth floor. The family gathering room provides comfortable chairs to rest or watch television, a kitchen/dining area for snacks or playing cards or games, a computer station for communicating with family and friends, and a shower, to freshen up after long hours at the hospital. The rmhccf family gathering room at florida hospital for children is located on the second floor. The family gathering rooms were created for local orlando families who may not need the ronald mcdonald house as a home away from home, yet need the comfort and care of the program while they are in medical crisis. The outreach program has received positive and grateful responses from families and hospital staff. We have expanded our snack pack program and comfort cart offerings to all families staying at the ronald mcdonald houses, utilizing our rmhccf family gathering rooms, and/or have a child being treated within the pediatric hospitals. The snack packs provide nutritional treats for families during the long days by their children. The comfort kits offer tolietries and gifts of comfort to help with their long stay. We encourage our community to get involved with our programs. Our staff and volunteers offer house tours on a regular basis. Appointments are requested and can be arranged through our volunteer team or house staff. A tour of the house allows supporters to see firsthand our needs and helps provide opportunities to individuals, organizations, and companies to best align with their interests and expertise. In 2017, supporters provided nearly $500,000 worth of in-kind goods to our children's charity. The central florida community has embraced the ronald mcdonald house program and its purpose; keeping families close, providing comfort and care to families who are going through the toughest of times, the illness of their child. The ronald mcdonald house serves families who are in medical crisis. The ronald mcdonald houses are made of brick and mortar, however, we call each of them the house that love built, because it is all the time, talent, and treasure of the central florida community who help to serve the children and families in need.