Our History
When an unlikely partnership was formed in Philadelphia in 1974 between an NFL team, a children's hospital and a restaurant chain, none of its members could have imagined that their dream of a home away from home for families of seriously ill children would grow to become an international phenomenon.
They simply wanted to create a place where parents of sick children could be with others who understood each others' situations and provide emotional support. The seeds of the partnership were planted when Kim Hill, the 3-year-old daughter of Philadelphia Eagles tight end Fred Hill, was diagnosed with leukemia. Hill and his wife camped out on hospital chairs and benches, ate food from vending machines and did all they could to keep Kim from seeing their sadness, exhaustion and frustration.
All around them, the Hills saw other parents doing exactly the same thing. They learned that many of the families had traveled great distances to bring their children to the medical facility; but the high cost of hotel rooms was prohibitive. They continued to think, "There has to be a happy medium." Hill rallied the support of his teammates to raise funds to help other families experiencing the same emotional and financial traumas as his own. Through the Philadelphia Eagles' general manager, Jim Murray, the team offered its support to Dr. Audrey Evans, head of the pediatric oncology unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. It was Dr. Evans' dream for a house that could serve as temporary residence for families of children being treated at her hospital that led to the first Ronald McDonald House. The McDonald's owner/operators in Philadelphia made the House possible, donating proceeds from the sale of shamrock shakes. Eventually, Ronald McDonald House Charities was officially established in memory of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc, a strong advocate for children.
By 1979, 10 more Ronald McDonald Houses had opened. In the next 5 years, local communities founded 60 more Houses; then 53 more opened in the next five years. Across the country and throughout the world, people viewed Ronald McDonald House as a way for a community to band together for their neighbors in need of comfort and security during a particularly difficult time. Currently, there are 286 Ronald McDonald Houses in 30 countries.
Ronald McDonald House Charities expanded its core program to include Ronald McDonald Family Rooms in 1992. Family Rooms are located inside hospital walls to offer families a place of refuge during their long days. There are 142 Family Rooms in 16 countries around the world.
In 2000, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile was introduced offering cost-effective medical, dental and health education services to underserved children. With 36 Care Mobiles in 6 countries, the missions of mobile units are making a positive impact on children in their own neighborhoods.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas
In 1980, the Ronald McDonald House of Arkansas opened its doors and its heart to care for families with seriously ill children hospitalized at Arkansas Children's Hospital and other local treatment facilities. The 8 bedroom House provided a much needed respite for families after spending long hours with their critically ill children, and helped ease some of their financial burdens. The House now offers 26 rooms to families each night serving some 1,000 families each year.
In 2009 Arkansas' first Ronald McDonald Care Mobile hit the road to provide free dental care to children in need. Serving elementary schools in 7 Central Arkansas counties, the Care Mobile was created through a relationship between Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas, Arkansas Children's Hospital and Delta Dental of Arkansas.
