Ronald McDonald House became our home away from home. Not only were the staff incredibly kind and thoughtful, but the amenities made a challenging part in our life tolerable. We could focus on seeing our newborn from sun up to sun down, being around great staff who supported us, and we made life long friends with families that have the same health conditions. We bring awareness to everyone we come in contact with regarding RMH and save all of our pop tops and deliver them anytime we have appointments in the area. We've used RMH twice in 3 months and I couldn't imagine us getting through it without this facility. My family and I will forever be grateful to what they offer, and we will cheer on every family that stays there.
Our family spent 129 nights at Ronald McDonald House in 2022 when our daughter required a bone marrow transplant. Children's Wisconsin is 2.5 hours from our home, but it was the very best choice for our daughter's condition. This House became our home and was absolutely wonderful! I can't imagine how we would have gotten through this difficult journey without the safety, generosity, and comfort offered here!
Our twins came 2 months early and one was in the NICU for 59 days and the other for 215 days, and we stayed at Ronald that entire 7 months because the hospital was 100+ miles from our home. Having two babies in the NICU is difficult enough and having to worry about finding a place to stay and how in the world we could find the finances to pay for temporary housing for 7 months would have been a huge stressor on top of everything we were going through. I don’t know what we would have done without RMHC. The staff were so wonderful, the gifts on special days like Thanksgiving, St. Nick, Christmas, etc. were so unexpected and were a light on our hard days. I will never be able to say thank you enough for what RMHC did and meant for our family.
RMHC of Eastern WI has been our home away from home during appointments and hospitalizations for almost ten years. It’s a wonderful place, but the people are what makes us amazing!
We have been coming to the open arms of Ronald McDonald house since my daughter was 2 1/2. She is now Ten. We come from out of state for weeks at a time for her treatment and care. She views this special place as her home away from home. She looks for the special faces of Staff and Volunteers when we arrive back from the hospital after long, hard days. We both are greeted with love and support, which makes the hard days easier to carry. This is a place that that focuses not only on just giving a clean bed to sleep in but holding families tight in their arms during the most vulnerable times. This is a truly is special place that families always hold close in their hearts. Ronald McDonald house allows families to breath while fighting for their children, without the added financial fear that comes from needing to stay close to the hospital, while your child receives the care they need. It is our Home away from home!
Best place I ever worked! I enjoyed every moment of being at RMHC, helping families and working with an amazing group of people that support one another. RMHC staff work so hard to cultivate a warm and inviting environment for families, so they can come and find peace in the midst of a hardship.
This is our second stay at RMHC EASTERN WISCONSIN. The first stay was from the beginning of 11/21-end of 01//22. That stay was before the expansion was finished being built. It was in process. At first we were in a short term room and then we were moved into a long term room. I was staying with my sister while my niece was at Rogers Behavioral Health for an Eating Disorder and OCD. While staying at RMHC, we were totally AMAZED at the staff and volunteers who worked there. They were the nicest, friendliest, most caring and giving people we had ever met!! We were treated like royalty. We never had to ask for anything. They had everything imaginable at our fingertips. They were always checking to make sure we had everything we needed. The had activities for the families to participate in. Our favorite was pet therapy. It made us feel like we were home with our fur babies. We got to know other families in the house while we were there and RMHC became our home away from home. The staff and volunteers became like family. They always asked about our sick family member and how they were doing. We were at RMHC during Thanksgiving and Christmas. For Thanksgiving RMHC treated us to a delicious Thanksgiving meal. At Christmas, it was beyond believable. It was as if Santa himself came to RMHC and visited each family and child!! St. Nicholas came and left stockings for the kids. The family room was decorated with the biggest Christmas tree!! Christmas morning there were packages outside every door with presents for the kids and adults!!! This place has a magical feeling to it that is indescribable. It is like no other place I have ever been. When we left when my niece was discharged, I cried. It was so hard to leave. This was our home for 3 months and the staff, volunteers, and other families were going to be so hard to leave. We made so many friendships that we still stay connected with today. We are now back again at RMHC. We arrived at the beginning of July. The addition is completed and is beautiful. When I walked in, it was like coming home. The staff was still the same as when we left. They still remembered us. It was as if we hadn’t left. We were put in a long term room in the new addition and our room overlooks the secret garden. It is absolutely beautiful!! The volunteers are constantly working to make everything look so beautiful every day. We have stayed at a couple other Ronald McDonald Houses and they were nice but this place has something magical. I can’t imagine being anywhere else with my niece getting treatment than right here at RMHC Eastern Wisconsin!!!
We have regularly used RMHC since 2013. Whenever there, my son and youngest daughter look forward to heading back to the house at night as a respite from the pokes, exams and procedures of the day. There we get a home cooked meal, often see long time friends, get to play and of course- the Magic Room!
We had to travel 3 1/2 hours from home to multiple doctor appointments and surgery after my daughter's diagnosis. It was the scariest thing I had to do as a parent. Having the Ronald McDonald House connected to the hospital eased some of our stresses of that time, and offered solice and a sense of security for us. To know that we didn't have to worry about crippling hotel costs on top of medical bills, and even just providing a kitchen to make a quick meal was a small joy in our crazy journey. But they also provide so much more than that. The kindness of the staff, the magic and normalcy they try to provide for the children, none of that could be put into words.
We appreciated a place to stay without worries when my daughter was having surgery. This was our second time staying here and both experiences were excellent. We were able have a place to stay, laundry, and friendly faces. Thank you!
Our family spent over 90 days at RMHC of Eastern Wisconsin when our infant son was undergoing treatment at Childrens Hospital of WI. We spent our first holidays as parents at the House. To say the House was a blessing to our family is an understatement. The compassion, support and love from the staff and other families was something we needed more than we realized.
Now we make it a family tradition to give back each Christmas for those families who were us during some of the darkest days of our lives. Thank you RMHC of Eastern WI for your passion and dedication to keeping families together!
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin made my daughter's hospital stay a less stressful experience. Not having to worry about a place to stay while also having food provided for us was a welcome relief. We were able to spend our day with our daughter while she recovered from OHS, instead of having to worry about the basics. Thank you!
I absolutely love Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Wisconsin. It is quite literally our home away from home. The staff is always welcoming and tries to be as accommodating as they can. They always have something fun going on, and genuinely care about our family's wellbeing when we stay. And I met two of the most amazing women in my life while staying there.
I have the privilege of volunteering at RMHC as an office assistant, and part of the speaker's bureau. The House is an amazing and comfortable place for families to stay. It brings me so much joy to hear the kids laughing while playing in the indoor tree fort, or all the talking that goes on when they are welcoming one of the dogs to pet therapy. Most families, who have not stayed with us before, are shocked with what the House has to offer; from the Magic Room to Family Dinners to activity passes to art therapy to meeting all the wonderful staff, volunteers and families that stay there. It truly is my "happy place" to be.
I have volunteered at the RMHC for 16 years and couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity. The House is such a necessary component for our Community, State and Country~ It provides a Beautiful Home for the Families who are experiencing Health issues with their Kiddos. The RMHC Home Base provides them with a place to keep them together as a Family and be the emotional support for their Kiddo.
We have been guests at the Ronald McDonald House for years now. Every time we have needed to stay, it has been a wonderful experience. The staff and volunteers are courteous, well trained and welcoming. The facilities are beautifully maintained and very clean. Everything they do for the families that stay with them helps make the need for proximity to health care a little less stressful. We always donate when we can because we know the impact they make. We have been coming long enough to see them add on twice and while I wish the demand for their services wasn't that high, I am glad that they have donor support to allow them to continue to serve families facing scary medical situations with their children. Their financial stewardship makes them a respectable charity that delivers their mission with care and integrity.
Ronald McDonald House is a house where you feel love when you walk in. It is a place for parents of children who are very sick to feel taken care of. The staff is amazing. The volunteers are there to do whatever is needed. I feel comfortable to say that I believe everyone from our CEO on down always, always have the time to listen. We are all there because we care and being there feels us with a genuine love and an urgency to help.
Ronald McDonald House kept my family and I together during the most difficult time of our lives. Our son was born in 2019, we knew he would be facing some medical challenges due to a rare genetic condition but 2 weeks after birth he was also diagnosed with stage 2 neuroblastoma. As his mother I struggled with just about every aspect of life during that time and couldn’t really function beyond simply being by his side. Ronald McDonald House not only provided a place for my family and I to stay together but they fed us, they supported and comforted us and they ultimately did everything that I couldn’t do during that time so that I could truly focus on what was going on with our newborn baby, who had a battle in front of him that no child should ever have to face. Whether it was a packed lunch to take up to the hospital so that I could nourish myself even if I didn’t have the appetite or taking a walk in the garden to clear my thoughts and focus on the next step of our son’s recovery, they made it possible. Our 2 older children were able to be with us throughout the duration of our stay at Ronald McDonald House as well and the amount of support that they received from this charity played such a pivotal role in our healing process as a family during some of the darkest moments of our lives. Our family will always remember the love, care and generosity that was given to us from RMHC. I share my RMHC story with anyone who is willing to listen because I never knew the impact that this charity made until we were faced with the biggest battle of our lives. We are forever grateful, thank you Ronald McDonald House.
When a child is sick the need for medical help is expected. But for those who need more extensive help that attention may be far from home. Thank you, Ronald McDonald House for filling the need for a place to stay, food to eat, and comfort near the children who need their parents and families near. Staying at RMHC takes a few issues off the families' plate, and makes these tough times just a little bit easier. As a volunteer here I get to see the impact this has every day.
After volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern WI for 9 1/2 years, I continue to be in awe of this charity. The staff, volunteers and most of all, the guests are all amazing. Each day small (and sometimes large) miracles happen at this House that love built. This is a charity at its best.
My stay at the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Wisconsin was the one true high point of my time in Milwaukee. It is a very difficult time when your child is hospitalized, but the Ronald McDonald House helps to make this time as non-stressful as possible. It was such a peaceful place, where one could easily find solitude, if needed. And the food that the volunteers brought daily were always so appreciated.
What really amazed me were all the activities, especially for either patients or siblings of patients, from Art Therapy to Pet Therapy to Music Therapy. And when I couldn't sleep at night, I would often go down to the main floor and work on the large puzzle that was out for anyone who wanted to contribute to it.
Everything one needed was offered there, including laundry facilities, desks to use for our laptops (important for me to keep up with my online schooling), and of course many kitchen facilities. Everyone had access to a refrigerator and had their own pantry, plus there was a public pantry that anyone could get food from (my favorite was the Girl Scout cookies in that pantry!). There were lunches we could take with us as we went out for the day. When you're trying desperately to get out the door so you can see your child, the last thing you're thinking about is food, so to have it provided for you was such a comfort and truly a necessity that you didn't know you needed!
Although many people who were staying there had children who were using the services of the Children's Hospital that was connected with via a skywalk to the Ronald McDonald House (which was so cool), there were others - like me - whose children were staying in other hospitals in the Milwaukee vicinity. So although I was jealous of the people who could simply cross a skywalk to get to their children, it was still so wonderful to have a place to stay while my child was hospitalized (and I was far from home). Many thank you's to the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Wisconsin for such a job well-done!!
An amazing organization from with an exceptionally dedicated staff. Many wonderful volunteer opportunities to assist appreciative families in need. Would highly recommend donating items, giving monetarily or donating your time to this great cause.
We were at the RMHC in Milwaukee in February of 2021 and my daughter was a patient having open heart surgery. The house was relatively quiet, due to the limited people allowed, but everyone was welcoming and generous. Knowing that the hospital was so close and that we didn't have to run up more bills with housing and food, was a relief. Thank you and when I'm able, I'd like to help other families dealing with their children's health issues. They should be able to focus on their children and take care of themselves, and RMHC allows that.
My younger brother Mark served on the Board of Directors for nine years, during which time he took me to several charity and events when they were concurrent with my visits from Texas to WI. After his tragic death from a heart attack, we were invited to tour the home and presented with a framed picture collage of Mark donating his time and talents to this other family that had his heart. We fell in love with the purpose, the people, the passion and the programs, so we became donors in memory of Mark, to help make the new wing a reality. We were blessed as a family to tour the beautiful new additions at the House Warming, where we instantly felt Mark's presence and knew immediately why he was so grateful for his work with this magical place. The rooms were spacious and the family kitchens are such a gift. As a school counselor, I especially connected with the inclusive playground, where I felt compassion and belonging through a chair merry-go-round for children with mobility challenges and a roller slide for children with cochlear implants. The thoughtfulness that went into this incredible playground did not go unnoticed and will likely be appreciated and love for years and years to come. Thank you, RMHC, for capturing my brother's heart while it was still healthy and being HIS home away from home for all of those years. I can tell that he was well-loved there just like the families whom you host ... and I'm grateful.
My wife, Jane, and I value Ronald McDonald House as one of our special charities. The newsletter we receive via Email keeps us in touch with the many events and activities. It allows us from time to time to join in, which is a real pleasure. Additionally, we learn about some of the great families that are dealing with significant health issues. It's good to hear the many amazing stories and nice to know how the RMD House has helped the families cope.
Cheers, Bill and Jane Schulz
We stayed at the house for 7 weeks in 2019 while our daughter was going through in-patient treatment at the hospital. Our daughter was very sick and it was a really hard time for us because of all the uncertainty about the treatment. When doctors told us to go to Milwaukee, a social worker asked if we wanted to stay at the Ronald Mcdonald House. We just said 'yes, whatever' as we were not really worried about where to stay. As it turned out, the Ronald Mcdonald House was one of the best things that happened to us during that time. It is a wonderful place full of friendly people that helped us feel at home. It gave us a nice and pleasant place to rest and recharge, and be in good shape to help our daughter go through her treatment. Those 7 weeks in 2019 were the worst time of our lives because of our daughter's illness, and Ronald Mcdonald House helped make that time more bearable. I can't think of any other place that would have helped us so much during that time.