Kelly Thien, Chief Advancement Officer at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Indiana, talked about the House and it's operations at the Kiwanis Club on Tuesday.
The House is located near the Riley Children's Hospital on Limestone Street. The House is 55,000 square feet and was build 35 years ago. Their mission is to provide a supportive “home-away-from-home” for families of children receiving medical care at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health and other area hospitals, and we champion programs that improve the health, education and well-being of children. 98% of the parents are "Riley parents. The House has a capacity for 58 families and is usually near capacity with no vacancies. The average stay for a family is 17 days but month long stays are not uncommon and some stays of a year or longer have occurred.
Families receive welcome bags which include necessities of daily life, activity books, and other items that might not b remembered when leaving home for the emergency hospitalization of a child. The family will also receive breakfast and dinner at the House with lunch available at the Riley facility. Snacks and a pantry are available for other food, On leaving the family receives a Home bag that includes the first meal at home.
Families are asked to contribute $15 per night but are not refused if they can't afford it, The actual cost of a daily stay is closer to $100. The House is able to finance this through corporate and private donations, extensive fundraising, and use of over 300 volunteers.
Click Ronald McDonald House for more information
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