Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville's mission is to "keep families close" and provide essential resources and a "home away from home" for families of critically ill children receiving inpatient or outpatient medical at a Nashville area hospitals.
   

Programs run by Ronald McDonald House Charities, the 32-bedroom Ronald McDonald House, and the Ronald McDonald Family Room on the 5th Floor of Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital both offer a place for parents and family members to relax, refresh and experience the comforts of home while staying close to their sick child.
   

The House is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, the Family Room is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. each day and both are supported by 7 full-time and 2 part-time staff members and more than 200 active volunteers.
   
The Ronald McDonald House, open since July 1991, is a home, providing hot meals, laundry facilities and a place to rest. It has all the benefits of a house, such as a playroom, library and kitchen. It has the responsibilities of a house, allowing families to take pride in the establishment by taking part in daily chores and helping volunteers with projects. More importantly, the Ronald McDonald House provides an environment of emotional support from staff members, volunteers and other families, who are going through similar circumstances.
   

Since the House opened in 1991, over 9,100 families have stayed at the Nashville Ronald McDonald House and in 2006, 600 families were served. These families came from all of Tennessee's 95 counties and 63 counties in Kentucky, as well as 37 other states, two U.S. territories and eleven foreign countries.
   

The Nashville House requests that families pay $15 per night. However, the primary goal is to keep these families together and never refuse service because a family is unable to pay. In 2006, 67% could not afford to pay anything, and 14% paid only a partial fee. The average monthly occupancy in 2006 was 100% and the average daily waiting list consisted of 3 families and the average length of stay was 18 nights.
   

In February 2004, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville officially opened Nashville’s first Ronald McDonald Family Room at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. This room is an extension of the House, a place where families and friends of seriously ill children, from far and near can enjoy a quiet respite from corridors and waiting rooms, whether or not they’re staying at the Ronald McDonald House.
   

The Family Room includes a comfortable seating area, a kitchen stocked with snacks, a children’s play area, a half bath, and the support of caring staff and volunteers. The Family Room has already experienced a huge response, serving over 1,400 families since it’s opening.
   

Questions concerning the Nashville Ronald McDonald House? Email: info@rmhnashville.com