Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

What Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio does

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio (RMHC) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1982 in Columbus, Ohio, that provides free lodging, meals, and support services to families of seriously ill children receiving pediatric medical treatment. The chapter operates the world's largest Ronald McDonald House — a 217-room facility located directly across from Nationwide Children's Hospital — and supplements it with two embedded Ronald McDonald Family Rooms inside OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital and the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children's Hospital. It also co-operates a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile with Nationwide Children's Hospital to extend pediatric health services into underserved communities.

The organization's core services are delivered through a hospitality-platform model: families are referred by partner hospital systems (Nationwide Children's, OhioHealth, Mount Carmel Health Systems, and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center) and receive free accommodation, meals (via the full-time-chef-led Team Cuisine program), laundry, family activities, and a peer-support community. Services are funded through diversified, donation-based revenue streams rather than fees: individual donations (peer-to-peer fundraising, pop tabs, Club 206, clothing bins), corporate sponsorships and grants (Alliance Data Systems, Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, Scott's Miracle Gro), cause-marketing programs (Round-Up at McDonald's, Shop with Purpose, vehicle donation), and signature fundraising events (the Dean's Charity Steer Show at the Ohio State Fair has generated over $600,000 in recent years). In-kind food donations from local McDonald's owner/operators form a recurring input into the meal program.

The chapter's value proposition is quantified by 82,000+ nights of rest provided annually, 112,500+ meals served annually, and an estimated $14.2 million in annual lodging and meal cost savings to families served. Operationally, the organization holds a Charity Navigator 4-star rating, is governed by a Board of Trustees under CEO & Executive Director Dee Anders, and operates with a small staff (11-50 employees) supported by a large volunteer base. As part of the global RMHC network, it benefits from McDonald's Corporation trademark licensing and national brand recognition while remaining an independently governed local chapter.

Name

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

Legal name

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

Website

https://rmhc-centralohio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the world's largest Ronald McDonald House (217 rooms) plus two hospital Family Rooms in Columbus, providing free lodging, meals, and support to families of seriously ill children at four partner hospital systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Family Housing and Pediatric Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospitals, Clinics & Charitable Healthcare Providers (BPAGACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF), Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Family lodging services
• Pediatric family support
• Charitable housing programs
• Hospital hospitality services
• Community family care

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Charitable donations from individuals supporting families with seriously ill children. The organization operates a peer-to-peer fundraising program, clothing donation bins, pop tab collection program, and Club 206 donor recognition program.
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Grants: Support from corporations including Alliance Data Systems ($50,000 Team Cuisine sponsorship), Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation ($25,000 grant), and Scott's Miracle Gro (garden grant through The Columbus Foundation).
3. Cause Marketing Programs: Round-Up at McDonald's program where customers round up purchases, Shop with Purpose retail partnerships, vehicle donation program, and planned giving/endowment programs.
4. Signature Events: Annual fundraising events including Dean's Charity Steer Show at Ohio State Fair generating significant revenue (over $230,000 in 2024, $172,709 in 2023, $247,148 in 2022).

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio provides free lodging, meals, and support services to families of seriously ill children receiving medical treatment at partner hospitals. The organization operates a 217-room Ronald McDonald House directly across from Nationwide Children's Hospital, two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms inside partner hospitals, a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile for community health outreach, and a full-time chef-led Team Cuisine meal program serving 112,500+ meals annually.

Product overview

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio operates a platform of family support services centered around three core offerings: the Ronald McDonald House (a 137-guest-room facility providing lodging, meals, and support for families of hospitalized children), Ronald McDonald Care Mobile (mobile health services), and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms (respite spaces within partner hospitals). The organization also runs the Team Cuisine meal program with full-time chef services. The charity is currently undergoing a major expansion (A Million Reasons campaign) to add guest rooms and amenities, positioning itself as the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world with 202 guest rooms upon completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ronald McDonald House A 217-guest-room home-away-from-home facility located directly across from Nationwide Children's Hospital, providing free lodging, meals, and support services for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment, open 365 days a year.
• Ronald McDonald Care Mobile A mobile health services unit operated in partnership with Nationwide Children's Hospital, bringing medical care directly to underserved communities.
• Ronald McDonald Family Room Respite spaces located within partner hospitals (OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital and Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children's Hospital) offering quiet rooms, showers, laundry, kitchenettes, and outdoor courtyards for families of pediatric patients.
• Team Cuisine Meal Program Chef-led meal program that prepares nutritious meals for resident families, utilizing donated McDonald's protein (25-50 lbs twice weekly) and community volunteer participation; delivers over 112,500 meals annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• Provides over 82,000 nights of rest annually for families
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, flagship and supporting.

• Nationwide Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary hospital partner. RMHC House is located directly across street. Partnership includes Ronald McDonald Family Room at Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile operation. The House serves families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at this premier pediatric hospital.
• McDonald's Owner/Operators (Central Ohio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partnership since 1982. Local franchisees provide food donations (25-50 lbs protein twice weekly through Team Cuisine), participate in Round-Up program, and support fundraising events. McDonald's Corporation trademark licensing through RMHC Global.
• Cohesion FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIL (Name, Image, Likeness) partnership organization connecting Ohio State student-athletes with Central Ohio charities. Facilitates partnerships like Marvin Harrison Jr. ambassadorship with RMHC.
• OhioHealth Riverside Methodist HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner hospital with Ronald McDonald Family Room on site. First Family Room opened July 2017 serving families of patients at Riverside Methodist.
• Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Dean's Charity Steer Show partnership at Ohio State Fair. Has raised over $600,000 combined in recent years for RMHC. The 2024 event raised over $230,000.
• Post House CreativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal film production company that created 'Something's Missing' short film for RMHC at no charge. Owned by Tim and Kimberly Flaherty who serve on RMHC Marketing Committee.
• Telhio Credit UnionsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCoordinator of Dean's Charity Steer Show event along with Ohio Cattlemen's Association and Ohio State Fair.
• Ohio Cattlemen's AssociationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for Dean's Charity Steer Show fundraiser benefiting RMHC.
• Anthony-Thomas Candy CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal family-owned candy company that supported RMHC of Central Ohio in 2023 through donations and cause marketing.
• Englefield Oil (Duchess Shoppes)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCentral Ohio convenience store chain (Duchess Shoppes) partnered for cause marketing. Customers can round up at pump with proceeds supporting RMHC. Also sells RMHC chocolate bars.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Family House: Nonprofit providing free temporary housing and support services to families of seriously ill children and adult patients receiving treatment at Pittsburgh and San Francisco medical centers. Closely comparable mission, facility model, and family-support service offering to RMHC of Central Ohio.
• Hospitality Homes: Boston-based nonprofit providing free short-term housing in volunteer host homes and donated apartments for families traveling to Boston for medical care. Smaller-scale but same core mission of keeping families together during serious medical treatment through donated/staffed lodging.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Philadelphia: Sister RMHC chapter serving families of children receiving treatment at Philadelphia pediatric hospitals. Directly comparable as a peer RMHC chapter of similar scale, urban hospital-adjacent facility model, multi-touchpoint (House + Family Rooms), and diversified fundraising program.
• Fisher House Foundation: Provides free lodging to families of military and veteran patients receiving care at VA and military hospitals. Highly comparable model: free family accommodations near medical treatment facilities, donation-funded, partnership-driven, family-support mission adjacent to pediatric/medical social services.
• American Cancer Society Hope Lodge: Operates a network of 30+ free lodging facilities for adult cancer patients and caregivers near major cancer treatment centers. Mirrors the Ronald McDonald House model for a different patient population, with the same donation-funded, hospital-partner-driven, free-family-lodging structure.

Others

• National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses: Industry association representing nonprofit hospital guest house programs (including many RMHC chapters, Hope Lodges, and independent houses). Provides peer benchmarking, standards, and advocacy for the hospital hospitality house sector in which RMHC of Central Ohio is a leading participant.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: National nonprofit raising funds for children's hospitals including Nationwide Children's Hospital (RMHC of Central Ohio's primary partner). Operates in overlapping space of pediatric medical philanthropy, with shared cause-marketing, retail partnerships, and corporate sponsor ecosystems.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: National nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. Operates in a broader pediatric-medical social support space; comparable in mission (children with serious illness), donation model, brand strength, and event-driven fundraising, though service offering is wishes rather than family lodging.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Global parent/incumbent organization of which RMHC of Central Ohio is a chapter. Operates the worldwide network of 700+ Ronald McDonald Houses, Family Rooms, and Care Mobiles, providing the brand, trademark licensing, and program standards that the Central Ohio chapter operates under.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Leading pediatric medical/research charity serving children with catastrophic diseases, providing treatment and family support at no cost. Comparable in mission, family-centered care philosophy, and large-scale donation-driven operations, though its core offering is treatment rather than lodging.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RMHCofCentralOH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RMHCofCentralOhio
• Facebookfacebook.com/RMHCofCentralOhio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rmhcofcentralohio
• Instagraminstagram.com/rmhcofcentraloh
• TikToktiktok.com/@rmhcofcentraloh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio