Ronald McDonald House Completes Expansion, New Garden

In the same year they will celebrate their forty-fifth anniversary, the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House completed a massive expansion to more than double their capacity to serve families in need of temporary housing during their children’s treatment. The Room in Our Hearts expansion campaign grew capacity from 45 to 127 rooms at the Chestnut Street house, and modernized and expanded common facilities to more than double the number of families the organization can serve each year.

Families at the Ronald McDonald House receive subsidized accommodations through the duration of their child’s medical treatments, whether that time lasts for days, weeks, or months. PRMH offers a place to rest near the hospital without the financial burden of relying on hotels or long and frequent commutes, but it also offers a community where families can experience some normalcy while they battle extraordinary conditions. That might mean spending time in the kitchen and dining area to prepare and eat a favorite meal as a family, or enjoying some playtime in an activity center together.

Overall, the Ronald McDonald House’s expansion has been a massive undertaking that relied on partners far and wide – some of which are right here in University City. When the team was toiling over all of the details of the new patient rooms - from the width of hallways to whether or not windows should open - University of the Sciences provided space to build life-size models of the suites.

PRMH also worked with Green City Works, University City District’s landscaping social venture, to install and maintain a green roof and landscape the outdoor dining areas. This project, completed in early May, was one of the most ambitious undertaken by Green City Works since launching 3 years ago, and involved multiple iterations of site plans and on-the-job training for crew members on hardscaping and construction. See how the project unfolded in the video below.  

Stay tuned for news about how the PRMH will celebrate its 45th anniversary, including its annual Show Your Stripes campaign in October. Each year people and organizations purchase scarves, socks, and hats featuring Ronald McDonald’s iconic red and white stripes, and post photos in their gear with the hashtag #showyourstripes. Those stripes are our reminder that the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House continues to be a beacon of hope for families in need and we look forward to seeing their work grow with the completion of this expansion.