Ronald McDonald House

What Ronald McDonald House does

Ronald McDonald House is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN: 36-2934689) headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, founded in 1974 in Philadelphia to provide accommodation, meals, and comprehensive support services to families with seriously ill or injured children receiving medical treatment. As of 2025 the network spans 60+ countries and regions with 655+ programs and services, broken into 394 Ronald McDonald House programs (stand-alone facilities near pediatric hospitals) and 280 Ronald McDonald House Family Room programs (respite spaces inside hospitals). The organization delivered 2.9 million overnight stays in 2025, helping families save $783 million in lodging and meal expenses, with 87 cents of every dollar going directly to programs and 329,200+ volunteers supporting operations. No family is ever turned away for inability to pay; families either stay free or are asked to donate up to $25 per day against a true room cost of $50–$100 per night.

The organization's revenue model is donations-based and multi-streamed. Founding partner McDonald's Corporation, its franchisees, and its customers contributed over $220 million in the most recent year — including $76 million in customer donations through in-restaurant donation boxes and Round-Up at kiosks/drive-thru — with 100% of McDonald's donations supporting programs. Additional revenue comes from major corporate partners (AbbVie, Reliance, Coca-Cola, Tempur Sealy, La-Z-Boy, Southwest Airlines, Vertex Foundation, WEX, Valvoline), the Ronald McDonald House Global Giving Collective (a coalition of McDonald's suppliers including Cargill, HAVI, tms, Martin Brower, OSI), point-of-sale fundraising campaigns (e.g., Valvoline at 150+ locations, Dillard's annual holiday cookbook — $16.1M+ since 1994), peer-to-peer and community events (Team RMHC marathon runners have raised $13.5M+ since 2006), and individual donations via the website (Stripe, PayPal, Venmo, ACH, cryptocurrency through The Giving Block, stock, and donor-advised funds). Technology is used internally for donor management, volunteer coordination, and Chapter communications; no public-facing technology platform or API exists.

Ronald McDonald House distributes services through its chapter network, with families accessing programs via pediatric hospital social service referrals. Each Chapter operates independently under local boards, affiliated with Ronald McDonald House Global through sub-licensing agreements. The organization is led by President & CEO Katie Fitzgerald and governed by a Board of Trustees that includes executives from McDonald's, Coca-Cola, AbbVie, HAVI, Reyes Holdings (Martin Brower), Arcos Dorados, and other partner organizations. The current strategic priority, anchored by the Family Impact Fund and a public goal to double families served by 2030, is closing an unmet-demand gap estimated at 55% of U.S. demand and more than two-thirds of global demand.

Name

Ronald McDonald House

Legal name

Ronald McDonald House Global

Website

https://ronaldmcdonaldhouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Ronald McDonald House is a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating 655+ programs across 60+ countries, providing free accommodation, meals, and support services to families with seriously ill or injured children receiving medical treatment near pediatric hospitals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Support Services

NAICS

Other Residential Care Facilities (62399)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Home Health & Pediatric Private Duty Nursing (HLAFAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nursing Homes (Non-SNF) (HLAFAFAC)

Keywords

• Family support services
• Charitable housing programs
• Pediatric healthcare lodging
• Nonprofit accommodation services
• Family-centered care

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. McDonald's Support: McDonald's Corporation, franchisees, and customers are the founding and largest corporate supporters. Over $220 million was donated last year alone. 100% of McDonald's donations support Ronald McDonald House programs worldwide. Customer donations come through in-restaurant donation boxes, Round-Up at kiosks and drive-thru, and year-round campaigns.
2. Dillard's Holiday Cookbook Fundraiser: Dillard's 31st annual holiday fundraiser sells Christmas cookbooks with proceeds benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities chapters across the U.S. This campaign has raised over $16.1 million since its inception in 1994.
3. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through online donations (credit card, PayPal, Venmo, ACH), wire transfers, cryptocurrency (via The Giving Block), stock transfers, donor-advised funds, matching gifts, mail-in checks, and non-cash assets.
4. Corporate Partnerships and Product Donations: Corporate partners provide monetary contributions, in-kind product donations (mattresses, furniture, cleaning products, paper goods, food/beverages), employee volunteering, cause-marketing campaigns, and multi-year strategic commitments. Major partners include AbbVie, Reliance, Coca-Cola, Tempur Sealy, La-Z-Boy, Southwest Airlines, Vertex Foundation, and many others.
5. Point-of-Sale Fundraising Campaigns: Corporate partners run point-of-sale fundraising campaigns in their retail or restaurant locations, donating a portion of proceeds to Ronald McDonald House. Examples include Valvoline's campaign at 150+ Instant Oil Change locations and McDonald's Round-Up campaign.
6. Community Fundraising Events: Peer-to-peer and community events (runs, tournaments, galas, Facebook fundraisers) raise funds for local Chapters. Team Ronald McDonald House marathon runners have raised $13.5+ million since 2006.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ronald McDonald House provides free accommodation, home-cooked meals, and comprehensive support services to families with seriously ill or injured children (birth to 21 years) receiving medical treatment at pediatric hospitals. The core offering consists of two program types: Ronald McDonald House Programs (394 locations) offering comfortable bedrooms, playrooms, dining areas, and common spaces near hospitals, and Ronald McDonald House Family Room Programs (280 locations) offering quiet respite spaces inside hospitals with showers, laundry, snacks, and rest areas steps from the child's bedside.

Product overview

Ronald McDonald House is a nonprofit charitable organization operating two core program types: Ronald McDonald House Programs (394 programs globally) and Ronald McDonald House Family Room Programs (280 programs globally). The Houses provide free accommodations, meals, and support services for families traveling far from home for their children's medical care. Family Rooms offer respite spaces inside hospitals for families to rest, shower, do laundry, and recharge. Supporting programs include the Global Giving Collective (a McDonald's supplier giving program), the Family Impact Fund (strategic expansion initiative), the Run for Ronald McDonald House marathon fundraising team, and the annual Global Celebration gala event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ronald McDonald House Programs Free accommodations, home-cooked meals, and compassionate hospitality for families with children receiving medical treatment far from home. Offers comfortable bedrooms, playrooms, dining areas, and common spaces near pediatric hospitals. Operates 394 House programs globally.
• Ronald McDonald House Family Room Programs Quiet respite spaces located inside hospitals offering families a place to rest, shower, do laundry, grab snacks, and recharge just steps from their child's bedside during long days of treatment. Operates 280 Family Room programs globally.
• Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Programs Mobile healthcare units providing medical and dental care services to children in underserved and vulnerable communities, expanding access to healthcare where families may otherwise face barriers.
• Ronald McDonald Family Cabins (Norway) Specialized cabin-style accommodations in Norway, in collaboration with the Stine Sofie Foundation, serving children who have experienced violence and abuse and providing trauma-informed care. Over 700 children and families have been accommodated since 2016.
• Ronald McDonald Learning Programs Education programs that empower hospitalized children to keep learning and thriving through life’s toughest medical challenges. Addresses the issue of children falling behind in school due to hospitalization and lengthy convalescence. Sibling programming also provides educational continuity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.9 million overnight stays provided to families in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / founding partner, key product partner, key corporate partner, product partner, corporate partner, key infrastructure partner, organizational partner, nonprofit collaborative partner and community fundraising partner.

• McDonald's Corporationflagship / founding partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1974McDonald's is Ronald McDonald House's first corporate partner and advocate, earning the designation 'founding and forever partner.' From the first House in 1974, McDonald's employees, franchisees, suppliers, and customers worldwide have shared donations and their talent and time to support the mission. Over $220 million was donated last year alone. 100% of McDonald's donations support Ronald McDonald House programs worldwide. The partnership includes monetary contributions, volunteerism, cause-related marketing promotions, and in-restaurant giving.
• Tempur Sealy International, Inc.key product partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2009, Tempur Sealy International has invested millions of dollars ensuring families at Ronald McDonald House programs get a good night's sleep. Annually, Tempur Sealy donates mattresses, frames, and foundations to local Ronald McDonald House Chapters. This is one of the largest budget-relieving initiatives serving local Chapters in the U.S.
• La-Z-Boykey product partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa-Z-Boy has been comforting Ronald McDonald House families as the Charity's Official Furniture Provider since 2008 by donating complimentary furniture to local Ronald McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Room programs throughout the U.S., Canada, Asia, and Africa. In 2024, La-Z-Boy became a leading contributor providing a transformational multi-year investment to help launch the Ronald McDonald House Family Impact Fund.
• Southwest Airlineskey corporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1983, Southwest Airlines has supported Ronald McDonald House through thousands of volunteer hours and donated airline tickets to local Chapters. Southwest has also supported Ronald McDonald House through its annual LUV Classic Golf Tournament and Party, which has donated more than $19 million since 1985. Ronald McDonald House also benefits from the Points for Purpose program allowing Rapid Rewards Members to donate points.
• Georgia-Pacific PROproduct partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorgia-Pacific PRO, a division of Georgia-Pacific, has supported local Ronald McDonald House Chapters with in-kind donations of paper products including paper towels, bath tissue, facial tissue, and napkins since 1999. This long-standing budget-relieving partnership ensures the necessities are always available to Ronald McDonald House families.
• Ecolabproduct partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2006, Ecolab has supported local Ronald McDonald House Chapters with in-kind donations of household essentials such as dishwashing detergent, multi-surface cleaners, hand soap, and laundry detergent. Over the duration of the partnership, Ecolab has donated several million dollars in cleaning product donations, events, and volunteer time around the globe.
• DIRECTVcorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2022, DIRECTV has been an entertainment supporter of Ronald McDonald House and its network of local Chapters. Their multi-year commitment supports family togetherness through discounted services for Chapters in the U.S., employee engagement efforts, and donated advertising inventory to raise awareness about the Ronald McDonald House mission.
• Roofing Alliancekey infrastructure partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2017, the Roofing Alliance committed to help inspect, repair, replace, and maintain the roofs of all 165 stand-alone Ronald McDonald House programs in the U.S. by 'adopting' each program. In just two years, members successfully fulfilled their commitment. Throughout the duration, the Roofing Alliance has donated more than $700,000 in cash and in-kind support.
• UL Solutionscorporate partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2022, UL Solutions has committed to helping advance Ronald McDonald House's sustainability priorities and initiatives globally. Through a multifaceted partnership, UL Solutions helps ensure healthy environments for Ronald McDonald House families around the world and galvanizes employees to give back through their time and talent.
• DuPont (Corian)product partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuPont has proudly supported local Ronald McDonald House Chapters with in-kind donations of Corian Solid Surface and Corian Quartz since 1990. This partnership helps ensure local Chapters have the resources needed to develop clean and healthy family-centered spaces.
• Alpha Delta Piorganizational partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlpha Delta Pi is an organizational partner supporting Ronald McDonald House.
• Taiwan Roots Medical Peace Corpsnonprofit collaborative partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaiwan Roots Medical Peace Corps, along with Taipei Medical University Hospital, Sentec Group, and Merry House Social Welfare Foundation, co-funded life-changing surgical treatment for a Nigerian girl at Taipei Medical University Hospital. Ronald McDonald House Taiwan participated as one of the nonprofit supporters of the treatment.
• Soccer Quest FCcommunity fundraising partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoccer Quest FC hosted the Georgi Invitational Coed Tournament to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH), inspired by a local family whose child is battling leukemia.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fisher House Foundation: Provides free, temporary lodging near VA medical centers for families of wounded warriors and veterans receiving care — the closest structural analog to RMH's family-accommodation model, but serving military families rather than pediatric populations.
• Healthcare Hospitality Network: A national association of nearly 200 nonprofit organizations — including many Ronald McDonald House chapters — that provide free or low-cost lodging and support services to patients and families traveling for medical care.
• Hospitality Homes: Massachusetts-based nonprofit offering free, short-term housing in volunteer host homes and donated apartments for families traveling to Boston-area hospitals for medical care — directly comparable family-lodging mission at smaller scale.

Broad incumbents

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: A leading pediatric-illness nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical conditions — comparable as a large, well-funded, family-centered pediatric charity, though its mission focuses on wishes rather than accommodation and ongoing care support.
• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: Raises funds for children's hospitals across North America — a comparable pediatric-health nonprofit raising money through corporate partnerships, point-of-sale campaigns, and consumer fundraising, similar to RMH's McDonald's channel-driven model.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: A leading pediatric treatment and research institution that also covers family lodging and meal costs for patients — comparable in mission scope and donor base, though operating a single flagship clinical facility rather than a distributed accommodation network.

Emerging players

• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: A focused pediatric cancer charity funding research and family support — overlapping with RMH's pediatric-illness family support mission but narrower in disease scope and geographic scale.
• National Children's Cancer Society: Provides financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer, including travel and lodging assistance for treatment — directly comparable family-support services during pediatric treatment, at smaller scale.

Others

• American Cancer Society: Large, established U.S. health charity providing patient lodging (Hope Lodges), patient navigation, and research funding — overlaps with RMH in patient family support but serves primarily adult oncology patients rather than pediatrics.
• Habitat for Humanity: Global nonprofit leveraging corporate partnerships, volunteer labor, and donor networks to deliver housing-related outcomes — comparable in scale, federated chapter structure, and corporate-partner-driven model, though housing rather than healthcare-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RonaldMcDonaldHouseGlobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/ronaldmcdonaldhouseglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ronaldmcdonaldhouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/ronaldmcdonaldhouse

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ronald McDonald House