The Sacramento Ronald McDonald House is devoted to providing comfort and support for families who desperately need assistance as they try to maintain strength and hope in the face of their medical crisis. Each of these families come from a different background and has children suffering from a multitude of illnesses and injuries. Regardless of the situation that led them to their stay at the House, the common thread among these families is that they each need a safe and stable place to rest and re-group. The benefits received from their stay at the House allow them to focus on the care of their child and the relief of the pressures of searching for temporary housing and the costs associated with them. The interaction that families have with one another is also extremely powerful, as they find strength with their “neighbors” as they are experiencing similar situations.

Sacramento Ronald McDonald House


In 1998 the Sacramento Ronald McDonald House opened its doors providing a 'home away from home' for families who have children age 0-18 being treated in one of the five Sacramento-area hospitals; UC Davis Medical Center, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Mercy, Kaiser, and Sutter Medical Center. Since then, the 20-bedroom facility has provided affordable, temporary housing for approximately 10,000 families who have traveled from all across the United States as well as countries around the world in order to provide their child with the best medical treatment available.

Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake

Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake opened in 1992 on Eagle Lake near Susanville, CA and provides a program and site for children with disabilities and disadvantages.

The mission of Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake is to provide confidence-building experiences and programs that are designed to encourage each camper's individuality through the challenges of outdoor group living and teamwork in a supportive environment. An array of programs are offered and adapted to meet the individual needs of each camper. The staff includes experienced and well trained specialists in the fields of drama, arts and crafts, outdoor education, nutrition education, sports and waterfront activities.


Background/History

In 1969, three-year old Kim Hill, daughter of Philadelphia Eagles football player, Fred Hill, was diagnosed with leukemia. The Director of the Oncology Center, Dr. Audrey Evans, partnered with Hill and his wife to create a "home-away-from-home" for families to use while their children were receiving treatment at the hospital.

They envisioned this “home” to be a place that would welcome the entire family, from siblings to grandparents, and allow them to share their hopes and fears with other families experiencing similar situations. It would have all the amenities of home, from a fully stocked kitchen to a place to do laundry. It would be accessible to all those in need, regardless of income, which would be a blessing to families facing the staggering expenses resulting from a prolonged illness.

The General Manager of the Eagles contacted the local McDonald’s and asked for their support in making their dream a reality. An upcoming promotion was the sale of "Shamrock Shakes" and in return for the Eagles involvement with the publicity, Mr. Murray asked for $.25 for each shake sold. After considering his request, McDonald’s agreed to donate all the proceeds with just one condition --- to name the house after his favorite ambassador. So, in 1974, the first Ronald McDonald House® was born.

Throughout the last 34 years, over 290 Ronald McDonald Houses have opened in more than 30 countries around the world in order to provide a temporary residence for families of children being treated at local hospitals.

Funding and Support

Global Ronald McDonald House Charities provides each House with seed, expansion and emergency grants, as well as in-kind goods and services. However, each House relies on the people and businesses in its own community to provide additional funds, goods and services necessary for operations. 

McDonald's restaurants play an important role by providing assistance with the campaign to build the House initially and offering their stores as a vehicle for additional fundraising, but they are not the sole financial provider to the Charity. It is through community donations, corporate support, and volunteers that Ronald McDonald House Charities is able to support these children and their families during their time of need.

Pop Tab Program

The Pop Tab Program began when a community in Minneapolis collected one million pop tabs to recycle as a fundraiser and the trend has since spread to hundreds of Ronald McDonald Houses across the country.

A pop tab is the small metal tab on the top of aluminum beverage cans. The Sacramento Ronald McDonald House collects these pop tabs to recycle and uses the proceeds to go towards the Adopt-A-Family Program. This fund helps subsidize the cost of families staying at the Sacramento Ronald McDonald House.

The House receives thousands of pop tabs each year collected by families, church groups, service clubs, auxiliaries, and student organizations. Saving pop tabs from aluminum cans is an easy and environmentally-friendly way of supporting the Sacramento Ronald McDonald House. A simple plastic bag on the side of your refrigerator is an easy way to get started. As your bag fills, you can drop them off or mail them to the Sacramento Ronald McDonald House. For larger groups, use containers with wide mouths such as oatmeal boxes, paper milk cartons and coffee cans. You can event print out our label by going to our website at www.rmhcnc.org and attaching it to the side of your container with clear tape.

For more information contact Dawn Brown at 916.734.4230. Pop tabs do not need to be counted and can be mailed or dropped off at the Sacramento Ronald McDonald House located at 2555 49th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817.

Read Part 2 to learn how you can have a chance to win a dream house