RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF THE PHILADELPHIA REGION

HOUSE PROGRAM - TWO RONALD MCDONALD HOUSES, TOGETHER SERVING UP TO 147 FAMILIES EACH NIGHT, OFFER HOLISTIC SUPPORT AND LODGING TO FAMILIES TRAVELING 25 MILES OR FURTHER TO PHILADELPHIA TO RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE FOR THEIR SERIOUSLY ILL CHILDREN. FOUNDED AS THE FIRST RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE IN THE WORLD, RMHC-PHI IS THE MODEL FOR MORE THAN 375 HOUSES IN 65 COUNTRIES AND REGIONS AROUND THE GLOBE AND HAS SUPPORTED THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES IN MORE THAN 45 YEARS OF OPERATION.SINCE OPENING, THE FLAGSHIP HOUSE LOCATED AT 3925 CHESTNUT STREET GREW TO 72,000 SQUARE FEET TO ACCOMMODATE A TOTAL OF 45 FAMILIES EACH NIGHT IN 1995; IN 2008, RMHC-PHI OPENED A SECOND 27,000-SQUARE-FOOT, THREE-STORY HOME WITH 20 BEDROOMS LOCATED AT 100 E. ERIE AVENUE TO MEET THE EXPANDING NEED FOR SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. RMHC-PHI HAS RECENTLY EXPANDED THE CHESTNUT STREET LOCATION BY 98,364 SQUARE FEET WITH 82 ADDITIONAL BEDROOMS TO ADDRESS THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR SERVICES. CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW FACILITY BEGAN IN THE SUMMER OF 2017 AND CONCLUDED IN EARLY 2020.THE HOUSES OFFER FAMILIES A COMFORTABLE AND SECURE ROOM, DAILY HOME-COOKED MEALS, A 24-HOUR FOOD PANTRY, COMPLIMENTARY TRANSPORTATION AROUND THE CITY, FREE PARKING, AND LAUNDRY FACILITIES ALL JUST MINUTES FROM THE HOSPITAL. THE HOUSES ALSO OFFER TV LOUNGES, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PLAY SPACES, EXERCISE ROOMS, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, LOANER LAPTOP COMPUTERS AND WIFI, AND SOCIAL WORKER ASSISTANCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE HOUSES OFFER THE SUPPORT OF OTHER FAMILIES WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE A SERIOUSLY ILL CHILD. WHILE IT COSTS RMHC-PHI MORE THAN $160 PER NIGHT TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, FAMILIES ARE ASKED TO PAY $25 PER NIGHT. HOWEVER, MANY OF THE FAMILIES ARE SO FINANCIALLY DEVASTATED BY THEIR CHILD'S ILLNESS (AS A RESULT OF TREATMENT COSTS, JOB LOSS OR LEAVE, TRAVELING, AND PAYING EXPENSES AT HOME) THAT THEIR FEE IS WAIVED OR REDUCED; NO ONE IS EVER TURNED AWAY DUE TO INABILITY TO PAY.FAMILIES TRAVELING FROM 25 MILES AWAY OR FURTHER FOR MEDICAL CARE AT PHILADELPHIA HOSPITALS ARE ELIGIBLE TO STAY AT THE HOUSES, AND CHILDREN MUST BE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 AND IN ACTIVE TREATMENT. IN 2023, RMHC-PHI'S TWO HOUSES COMBINED HAD 1,930 FAMILY STAYS WITH FAMILIES TRAVELING FROM 48 STATES, 43 COUNTRIES AND 2 U.S. TERRITORIES; 34.3% OF FAMILIES TRAVELED FROM WITHIN PENNSYLVANIA. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY WAS 15 DAYS, WITH THE LONGEST LENGTH OF STAY FOR ONE FAMILY TOTALING 365 CONSECUTIVE DAYS DURING 2023. WHILE RMHC-PHI SERVES FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN ARE BEING TREATED FOR AN ARRAY OF ILLNESSES, THE TOP DEPARTMENTS IN 2023 WERE ORTHOPEDICS, ONCOLOGY, NEONATOLOGY, CARDIOLOGY, AND NEUROLOGY. EACH YEAR, RMHC-PHI'S HOSPITAL PARTNERS INCLUDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA (CHOP), ST. CHRISTOPHER'S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN, SHRINERS HOSPITAL, WILLS EYE HOSPITAL, THE HOSPITAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AND OTHERS.VOLUNTEERS ARE TRULY THE HEART OF THE HOUSES AND RMHC-PHI RELIES ON THE DEDICATED SERVICE OF MORE THAN 285 REGULARLY SCHEDULED VOLUNTEERS TO CREATE A HOME FOR THE FAMILIES IT SERVES. VOLUNTEERS STAFF THE FRONT DESK, DRIVE THE SHUTTLE VANS AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS IN A VARIETY OF OTHER CAPACITIES. RMHC-PHI AWARDED GRANT FUNDS TO AN EXTERNAL ORGANIZATION TO PRODUCE A FILM ENTITLED "AUDREY'S CHILDREN," WHICH IS ABOUT THE LIFE OF OUR ORGANIZATION'S VISIONARY AND CO-FOUNDER, DR. AUDREY EVANS. GRANT MONIES WERE USED TO DIRECTLY FUND THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH FILMING THE SCENES AROUND THE OPENING OF THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AUDREY EVANS ACTOR. GRANT MONIES WERE RECEIVED BY DONORS FOR FILM PRODUCTION AND THE AMOUNT AWARDED WAS $1,670,876 AND $73,244, FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 2022 AND 2023, RESPECTIVELY, AND IS INCLUDED IN GRANTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS ON THE STATEMENT OF FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES WITHIN THE HOUSE PROGRAM EXPENSES.

CAMP PROGRAM - RONALD MCDONALD CAMP (RMC) ENABLES CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND THEIR SIBLINGS TO EXPERIENCE THE JOYS OF SUMMER CAMP. CREATED BY RMH CO-FOUNDER DR. AUDREY E. EVANS IN 1986, THIS ONE-WEEK CAMP WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST OF ITS KIND TO OFFER A CAMP EXPERIENCE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND THEIR SIBLINGS. RMC, HELD ANNUALLY IN THE POCONO MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA, INCLUDES ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES FOUND AT A TRADITIONAL OVERNIGHT SUMMER CAMP, SUCH AS SWIMMING, SAILING, HIKING, SPORTS, ARTS AND CRAFTS, YOGA, AND ROPE COURSES, EXCEPT THAT, AT THIS CAMP, CAMPERS CAN PARTICIPATE NO MATTER WHAT LIMITATIONS THEY HAVE. FOR MANY CAMPERS, THE WEEK AT CAMP IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE EVER TRIED THE ACTIVITIES OFFERED, AND THEY GO HOME NOT ONLY HAVING DISCOVERED A NEW TALENT OR LEARNED A NEW SKILL, BUT HAVING GAINED A SENSE OF SELF-CONFIDENCE. FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE FELT ISOLATED FROM THEIR PEERS THROUGH THEIR ILLNESS, AND SIBLINGS WHO HAVE FELT LEFT OUT, CAMP IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN A FAMILY OF CAMPERS WHO CAN RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER, AND TO DEVELOP A WIDE-REACHING SUPPORT NETWORK THAT WILL LAST LONG AFTER THE WEEK OF CAMP IS OVER.CHILDREN AGES 7 TO 17 (INCLUDING CURRENT OR FORMER CANCER PATIENTS AND ONE SIBLING) ARE WELCOME AT CAMP AND ARE DIVIDED BY AGE INTO JUNIOR AND SENIOR CAMPS. MORE THAN 100 FULLY-TRAINED VOLUNTEER COUNSELORS (MANY OF WHOM ARE CANCER SURVIVORS AND PAST CAMPERS) AND A FULL TEAM OF OVER A DOZEN MEDICAL STAFF, INCLUDING PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGISTS, NURSES AND SOCIAL WORKERS FROM CHOP, VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME OVER THE SUMMER TO MAKE CAMP POSSIBLE. IN 2023, RMHC-PHI HOSTED TWO WEEKS OF RMC FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND THEIR SIBLINGS WITH PRIMARY GOALS OF KEEPING CAMPERS SAFE AND PROVIDING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF FUN WHERE CAMPERS CAN EXPERIENCE ENGAGING ACTIVITIES LIKE ANY OTHER KID. A WEEK OF VIRTUAL CAMP WAS HELD IN JULY FOR 22 CAMPERS WHOSE MEDICAL CONDITIONS DID NOT ALLOW FOR IN PERSON ATTENDANCE. RMHC-PHI STAFF AND CAMP VOLUNTEERS HELD RMC VIRTUALLY ON THE ZOOM PLATFORM AND UTILIZED A PASSWORD PROTECTED PORTAL FOR CAMPERS AND FAMILIES TO ACCESS DAILY ACTIVITYIES AND EVENING ENTERTAINMENT. EACH CAMPER RECEIVED A CAMPER ACTIVITY PACKAGE PRIOR TO CAMP WHICH CONTAINED A CAMP T-SHIRT, SUPPLIES FOR ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, AN INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESSING ALL ONLINE CAMP PROGRAMMING. CAMPER GROUPS PARTICIPATED DAILY IN SMALL GROUP CABIN TIME, AGE-APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES, AND LEARNED ABOUT INDUSTRIES WITH BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOKS WITH PROFESSIONALS. IN THE EVENINGS, CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS LOGGED ON FOR ALL CAMP ACTIVITIES WITH SPECIAL GUESTS, GAMES, AND THE MUCH-LOVED DANCE PARTY. IN AUGUST, 136 CAMPERS AND THREE PARTICIPANTS IN A YOUNG ADULT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM RETURNED TO IN PERSON CAMP PROGRAMMING FOR A WEEK AT A CAMPGROUND IN THE POCONO MOUNTAINS. RMHC-PHI COORDINATED WITH HEALTHCARE PARTNERS TO ENSURE A SAFE RETURN TO IN PERSON ACTIVITIES WHICH PRIORITIZED IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CAMPER HEALTH. CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS WERE REQUIRED TO BE VACCINATED, COMPLY WITH PRE-CAMP TESTING, AND THE MAJORITY OF ACTIVITIES WERE DONE OUTDOORS. 122 VOLUNTEERS TOOK PART AS COUNSELORS, ACTIVITY SPECIALISTS, AND MEDICAL TEAM MEMBERS TO MAKE THESE WEEKS OF CAMP POSSIBLE. THIS SUMMER, THE CAMP ALSO RECEIVED THE HIGHEST MARKS ON THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS THROUGH THE AMERICAN CAMPING ASSOCIATION, THE STANDARD CAMP EXCELLENCE.WHILE THERE IS NO CHARGE TO THE PATIENT CAMPERS, SIBLINGS TRADITIONALLY CAN ATTEND FOR A NOMINAL FEE OF $150. IN 2023, SIBLING FEES TOTALED $6,050. FUNDING FOR THE WEEK IS PROVIDED SOLELY THROUGH THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS. RONALD MCDONALD CAMP IS ACCREDITED THROUGH THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION (ACA) AND IS A MEMBER OF THE CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY CAMPING ASSOCIATION, INTERNATIONAL (COCA). RONALD MCDONALD CAMP, WHEN HELD IN-PERSON, IS HELD AT THE CAMP TIMBER TOPS FACILITY IN GREELEY, PENNSYLVANIA.