World’s 300th Ronald McDonald House Opening

McDonald’s Corporation celebrates with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) the opening of the world’s 300th Ronald McDonald House this week in St. Louis on the campus of St. John’s Mercy Medical Center.

According to McDonald’s, hundreds of families each year will now be able to refresh, relax and support each other at the House while their children are receiving life-saving treatment for conditions such as cancer, heart disease and birth defects.

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A dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting will be held at the 300th Ronald McDonald House on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010 at 11 a.m. Central.

“At today’s opening of the world’s 300th House, we are proud to honor all of the families who have found strength over the years while fighting for their children’s recovery,” said Jim Skinner, McDonald’s chief executive officer.

“Ronald McDonald House Charities is the heart and soul of McDonald’s, and our support of this charity is one of the most rewarding things we do.”

The seeds were sown for this 300th Ronald McDonald House 36 years ago in Philadelphia.

The daughter of former Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill underwent years of intense medical treatments, and out of that hardship grew the idea to create a “home away from home” near a hospital where families could stay together during difficult times, says McDonald’s.

“When our very first Ronald McDonald House was built in 1974, no one could have imagined that one day, we might open another – let alone 300 of them,” said Marty Coyne, RMHC president & CEO.

Ronald McDonald Houses welcome nearly 7,200 families every single night. The Houses provide beds, meals, showers, and families who share similar challenges of having seriously-ill children.

This new $4.5 million Ronald McDonald House is the third in Metro St. Louis and will serve approximately 700 families annually. 

It was made possible by lead gifts from St. John’s Mercy, the St. Louis McDonald’s Co-Op and other contributors.

RMHC is a non-profit corporation, and McDonald’s is its largest corporate donor. Portions of the annual operating costs for Ronald McDonald Houses are funded by McDonald’s and owner/operators of local McDonald’s restaurants.

The remainder of annual operating income comes from individuals and corporate donors.

McDonald’s is a leading global foodservice retailer with more than 32,000 locations serving 60 million customers in over 100 countries each day, according to the company.