Important Facts
The dream began in the early 1980's with the Society of Children's Oncology Family Services of Northern Alberta. Its goal was to bring the internationally successful model of Ronald McDonald House to northern Alberta.
A 12,800 square foot, 16-bedroom House opened in 1985 in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood.
Over the past five years, the average annual operating budget has been approximately $500,000. We offer families a warm, compassionate and comfortable home environment for $12 a night. The low fee reflects our awareness of the financial struggle families can experience during lengthy illnesses. When there is a financial hardship, we waive all fees.
In 2007, an expansion to 30 rooms and 40,000 square feet was undertaken.
We are the only facility in Edmonton and the surrounding area that provides this type of service for this low fee.
Volunteers are essential to the smooth operations of Ronald McDonald House® Northern Alberta. It is estimated that each week, volunteers provide 112 daytime hours of service and 28 evening hours of service for an annual total of 7280 hours.
Today, there are 270 Ronald McDonald Houses in 20 countries. That's over 3000 bedrooms!
Although all Ronald McDonald Houses are named after the highly visible friend to children of all ages, Ronald McDonald, they are owned and operated by independent non-profit organizations. Ronald McDonald House® Charities (RMHC) supports Ronald McDonald Houses throughout Canada and other registered charities that help improve the physical and emotional quality of life for children with serious illnesses, chronic conditions and disabilities, and their families.
As the cornerstone of RMHC, the 12 Canadian Ronald McDonald Houses play a vital role in communities across the country, providing a home-away-from-home for families of children with serious illnesses being treated at a nearby hospital. RMHC and McDonald's Restaurants provide approximately $150,000 in annual operating funds to the Northern Alberta House on an an ongoing basis.
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