By Staff Reports
(Oahu) – Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Hawaii (RMHC-Hawaii) is celebrating 28 years of supporting families with seriously ill children from the neighbor islands and the Pacific through its Ronald McDonald House Program.
Since Hawaii’s first Ronald McDonald House began operating on March 27, 1987, the organization has assisted more than 11,000 families with children needing specialized medical treatment on Oahu, and provided them with more than 116,000 nights of lodging. The Ronald McDonald Houses on Judd Hillside Road and Oahu Avenue operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in order to provide a “home-away-from-home” for families.
“The Ronald McDonald House provides a warm, positive and supportive environment for families who are caring for children undergoing medical treatment,” said Jerri Chong, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii president. “We welcome many families from all over the Pacific, and those who have walked through our doors have definitely left a mark on our hearts.”
Twenty-eight years later and Hawaii’s first Ronald McDonald House continues to support families. Photo Courtesy: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii
Since its inception, RMHC-Hawaii has grown steadily – as the community’s needs have grown.
“We greatly appreciate all of the aloha and support we receive from our island neighbors,” Chong said. “Without the community’s help, we would not be able to assist so many families and children in need.”
There are many ways to support RMHC, including:
– Making a direct cash donation
– Designating RMHC-Hawaii as one’s charity of choice for Aloha United Way, Combined Federal Campaign and/or planned giving programs
– Attending special events benefitting RMHC-Hawaii
– Participating in RMHC-Hawaii’s McFun-Raiser Program
– Utilizing RMHC-Hawaii’s coin collection boxes, located near the cash registers inside all McDonald’s®® Restaurants and at most drive-thru windows
– Donating items on the RMHC-Hawaii Wish List
– Volunteering
– Purchasing a Happy Meal® and Mighty Kids Meal® at McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii
– Purchasing the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Maui News, West Hawaii Today, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, The Garden Island and Guam’s Pacific Daily News at participating McDonald’s restaurants
For more information about RMHC-Hawaii, its programs, services, and ways to lend support, visit www.ronaldhousehawaii.org.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii (RMHC-Hawaii) offers support for families with seriously ill children by operating two Ronald McDonald Houses in Manoa Valley. Families from the neighbor islands and around the Pacific may stay there when they come to Honolulu seeking medical care that is unavailable closer to home. Each year, hundreds of families make Ronald McDonald House their “home-away-from-home.”
RMHC-Hawaii also provides the Ronald McDonald House Family Room, a respite and support center at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. At the Family Room, most of those assisted are from Oahu.
RMHC-Hawaii programs strengthen and support families during a very difficult time. For a child, having family members nearby to give love and comfort may be as crucial as medical care itself.
RMHC-Hawaii relies heavily on community support to keep the Houses running, not only through monetary donations, but also through countless hours of volunteers’ personal time.
Visit RMHC-Hawaii on Facebook under Ronald House Hawaii and on Instagram and Twitter using the handle @RonaldHouseHi.