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For 40 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities Ottawa (RMHCO) has provided a warm, safe, affordable and compassionate environment for families of seriously ill children receiving medical services. Each year, hundreds of families find themselves in the difficult situation where their child requires ongoing, specialized medical care at CHEO – and they live too far away to commute. RMHCO provides these families with a comfortable, loving home steps away from the hospital. While some families stay at RMHCO for just a few days, others will stay for months at a time – and in some cases, years. Our core mission is to give kids what they need most when they’re sick – their families.
RMHCO operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The House currently has: 14 bedrooms, a large communal kitchen and dining room, a library, a games room, a TV room, laundry room, outside grounds to play in and more. We offer homecooked meals cooked by our volunteers; movie nights; birthday and holiday celebrations; a beautiful outdoor serene space; pet and music therapy visits; and free parking, among many other benefits. In an average year RMHC Ottawa has around 500 family visits.
Costs of rentals and hotels could equal thousands and thousands of dollars each month out of pocket; many families unexpectedly have weeks/months – sometimes years - added to their child’s diagnosis. The cost to operate one room per night is $95/night and we charge families $10 (if they can afford it).
Within CHEO, we operate 2 family rooms staffed by volunteers, one in Pediatric Intensive Care on floor 3, and another on the 5th floor. The RMHCO rooms within the hospital offer large, comfortable lounge space, snacks, coffee and tea, shower facilities, laundry services and 4 over night sleep rooms. Both of our Family Rooms are heavily used, in one year alone, we saw over 28,000 visitors.
In an average year, we proudly welcome families from over 200 communities.
