Ronald McDonald House Charities® South Central Ontario (RMHC®SCO) is part of a network of 15 Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada. We provide a home away from home for families of children who are seriously ill and being treated at nearby hospitals.
RMHCSCO expanded from our original 15 bedroom home to a 39 bedroom house in the Spring of 2012 to serve more families in their time of need.
Built in 1993 and located next to McMaster Children’s Hospital, RMHCSCO is independently owned and operated by Kid’s Care Oncology Central West Ontario and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, managed by a small staff team and supported by a full complement of dedicated volunteers.
Try to imagine being a child with a chronic or life-threatening illness – frightened, hurting, questioning. Now try to imagine being a parent – short on answers, long on helplessness and scared beyond words. What both need most are each other. RMHCSCO provides families in crisis a home to everyday moments when life is far from ordinary.
To provide a warm, compassionate and safe home away from home for families of seriously ill children who are receiving treatment at our local children’s hospital.
The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Canada in 1981. In 1982, Ronald McDonald House Charities® Canada was created by McDonald’s ensuring that every future House would have a foundation of support. Since then McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada have been committed partners in helping sick children and their families in the following ways:
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2019 Statistics
McMaster Children’s Hospital is one of the top paediatric academic health science centers in Canada. It serves a community of over 2.3 million people from South Central Ontario and beyond. This large geographic region results in many children under their care from cities and towns many kilometres away. These children need the support of their parents and siblings while undergoing treatment, and parents and siblings need a safe and supportive environment to stay strong. Ronald McDonald House Charities® South Central Ontario attempts to help families feel closer to home when life is far from ordinary.
While it costs about $159 to care for a family for a night, our House provides families with an emotionally supportive home away from home for only $12 per night. However, no family is ever turned away due to their inability to pay.
Approximately 30 per cent of the House’s annual operating budget comes from Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada, donations from McDonald’s Happy Meal Program, coin boxes, the RMHC Cookie program, McDonald's kiosk donations and the nominal fee for families to stay at the House. No funding is received from any agency or government, so the remaining 70 per cent is raised through fundraising activities and through the contribution of our generous donors.
Please contact the House directly at 905-521-9983 to arrange a donation drop off. Alternatively, donations can be made online or mailed to:
1510 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 1E3
Ronald McDonald House Charities® South Central Ontario offers countless ways for you to make a difference and help provide families with a home to everyday moments. You can host a fundraiser, volunteer at the House, the Family Rooms or at an event, make a donation, or purchase a gift from our online wish list. Visit the volunteer or donate section to learn more.
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