Love Drives Us

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Detroit is happily announcing the launch of the

This exciting new campaign will allow us to make important improvements to our House by giving the families staying with us the comfortable and up-to-date rooms they deserve, offering additional family support through our “Share a Night” fund which allows us to provide a safe, comfortable “home away from home” at no cost to our families, all while launching an amazing new program for kids in Detroit Public Schools. In partnership with Children’s Hospital of Michigan and with the help of supporters like you, we can proudly add our mobile medical unit called the “Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®” to our list of services for families in Detroit.

In partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, the Children’s Foundation, and Detroit Public Schools, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® program will provide services which include primary care, diagnoses, treatment referral, and follow-up for children in 4 areas of Detroit.

Health education reduces overall medical costs, addresses behavior and lifestyle choices, and helps motivate families to improve and maintain their health. Services on our Care Mobile® will range from immunizations and preventive check-ups to treatment for chronic and acute illnesses.

• Wellness checks and physicals
• Health and developmental screenings
• Nutrition education
• Immunizations
• Asthma treatment and self-management education
• Vision, hearing, and lead screening
• School and sports physicals
• Prenatal care for pregnant teens

The medical staff will work closely with families to help them get access to the appropriate health care professionals and to specialty care:

• Ongoing care with a primary doctor or dentist
• Mental health assessment and referral
• Social service resource referral

Families are stronger when they are together. By staying at a Ronald McDonald House, parents can support each other and be close to the hospital, which allows them to rest without the worry of being too far away. And when families are rested, it enables them to better understand complicated treatment plans and have better communication with their child’s medical team. Parents can also focus on the health of their child, while our amazing staff and volunteers handle the grocery shopping, cleaning, and cooking meals.

On June 24, 2014, Gabby was born at 37 weeks; weighing 8 lbs and 4 oz, a seemingly healthy baby girl. While her mom, Catherine, recovered, Gabby was taken to the nursery for a routine check-up though, to Catherine’s surprise, two hours had passed and Gabby had not returned to their room.

Gabby, just a few hours old, was struggling to breathe. Doctors tried to assist her with a nasal cannula and CPAP machine, but it quickly became clear that it wasn’t enough. Gabby spent her first three weeks of life intubated and in a medically induced coma. Her doctors tried everything they could to help her. Catherine says there were days she was worried she was going to lose her beautiful, tiny newborn.

Those weeks were incredibly difficult for Catherine,
who was miles away from home in an unfamiliar city with Gabby’s two toddler-aged twin siblings. She found respite and comfort at the Ronald McDonald House and calls the House a “real lifesaver.” Here at the House, Catherine found a place of respite for her and her twins to eat, sleep, and play while, most importantly, allowing them to visit Gabby’s bedside at all times of the day or at a moment’s notice in the middle of the night.

House Program Upgrades

After more than 5 years and thousands of families, there are some spaces in our House that could use a little love. Thanks to some very generous donors, we recently replaced all the drawers and cabinets in our kitchen and converted an underused storage space into a much-needed fitness center, but with your help, we could do so much more.

Our plans include:

• Bedroom remodels with new (hypoallergenic, easy-to-wash) linens
• Faster internet speeds
• Smart TVs in each room
• More energy-efficient washers and dryers
• and many other projects

How you can support our Love Drives Us Campaign:

Care Mobile®
Your gift will be used for operating costs associated with bringing healthcare to the children of Detroit.

Adopt a Room
We have 25 bedrooms that provide rest and comfort to hundreds of families each year. Your gift will update and maintain these rooms for years to come and your name will be displayed on the room, in recognition of your gift.

Share a Night
Our goal is to be able to provide a zero-cost “home away from home” for the families who visit Detroit for their child’s medical care. Your gift to this fund means no part of our $75 per night cost is passed on to the families we serve.

House Upgrades
Your gift will go towards renovating and updating spaces and technologies in our House.

DONATE NOW!