(This is the second story in a two-part series on Columbia’s new Ronald McDonald House)
Columbia’s new $6.5 million Ronald McDonald House includes 24 private guestrooms with private baths, an increase from the former home’s 18 bedrooms.
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Mid-Missouri senior director of family services Amanda Reynolds describes the new home as a welcoming place for families to rest and recharge while their children receive medical care at the nearby Children’s Hospital. There is no cost to the families to stay at the Ronald McDonald House:
“But it is important for our Ronald McDonald House to have those private sleep rooms with a private bathroom. And having the two queen beds so we can accommodate families with siblings or whatever their care team dynamic looks like for (the) patient,” Reynolds says.
There is no cost to the families to stay at the Ronald McDonald House. Ms. Reynolds notes the Ronald McDonald House not only alleviates the financial burden of lodging and travel but also fosters a community where families can connect and find strength in each other.
Officials from Columbia’s new Ronald McDonald House also say a kitchen and dining room is critical for families who have children being treated at nearby University Hospital. RMHC’s Reynolds tells 939 the Eagle she’s grateful for the community’s support:
“I don’t know how families tell me that cooking is a stress reliever for them. And so having that large kitchen that not only we can have volunteer groups that come in and make dinner for them, but we also have the space for if a family just wants to get in and make themselves something, they’re able to do that as well,” says Reynolds.
The new home at College and Stadium also includes an exercise room, multi-purpose family room, gardens and walking trails.