More than 46 years later there are 375 Ronald McDonald Houses in 65 countries and regions.
MISSION & VISION
Our Mission: RMHC creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families.
Our Vision: A world where all children have access to medical care, and their families are supported and actively involved in their children's care.
Our Core Values:
We focus on the Critical Needs of Children
We Lead with Compassion
We Celebrate the Diversity of our People and our Programs
We Value our Heritage
We Operate with Accountability and Transparency
OUR HISTORY
Beginning of the Only Worldwide Service of Its Kind
The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974. Fred and Fran Hill’s daughter Kim was undergoing treatment for leukemia. During Kim’s three years of treatment, the Hills grew tired of sleeping in the hospital waiting room and eating meals out of vending machines. Fred, who was a player for the Philadelphia Eagles at the time, rallied the support of his teammates and General Manager Jim Murray, Dr. Audrey Evans from The Children’s hospital of Philadelphia, and local McDonald’s franchisees to create Ronald McDonald House.
Bob Jennings’ Passion and Persistence to bring a Ronald McDonald House to Joplin
Bob came to Joplin in 1964 as a McDonald’s owner/operator. Mickey Mantle approached Bob and his wife Libby about the possibility of building a Ronald McDonald House in Joplin. They agreed they would like to do it.
Bob tried for several years to bring a Ronald McDonald House to Joplin. However, sufficient numbers of children between zero and 18 years of age were not being served by our local hospitals to meet the requirements for a licensed house.
In 1993, when Freeman opened the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and then St. John’s began delivering babies, Bob asked his son Mike to go back to the International RMH Committee and once again request that our area be considered for a Ronald McDonald House. In August, 1996, the Jennings received permission and licensing for an eight bedroom Ronald McDonald House.
TIMELINE
2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Officers:
President: Michael Herr, Mercy Hospital
President Elect: Michael Matney, Southwest Missouri Bank
First Vice President: Phil Close, McDonald's Owner/Operator
Second Vice President: Paula Baker, Freeman Health System
Treasurer/Controller: Gary Brown, H.E. Williams, Inc.
Secretary: Amanda Mitchell, Community Liaison
Directors:
Teresa Brown, Community Liaison
Joe Caputo, Mercy Specialty Hospital
Sharon Dean, Community Liaison
Mary Greenwood, Fitness Instructor
Robin White Mussa, NOLA Education
Rahul Oberoi, M.D., Freeman Health System
Patrick Scott, Heartland Financial Investments
Montie K. Taylor, Great Southern Bank
Fred Wheeler, DO, Retired Pediatrician
Trustees:
Ken Bateman
Gary Duncan
Dorothy Farber
Jim Goodknight
Dan Scott
Our Relationship With McDonald's
RMHC Funding Mission Partner Since 1974
From the moment the first Ronald McDonald House was opened in Philadelphia, PA, the entire McDonald's system (owner/operators, suppliers, employees and customers) has helped us support families with sick children by providing stability and vital resources.
McDonald's support extends from monetary contributions and volunteerism, to cause related marketing promotions and the space to place RMHC Donation Boxes that raise money for Chapters around the world. McDonald's has helped RMHC positively impact millions of children and their families, and continues to provide valuable resources and support to help us expand our core programs and services.
Although the McDonald's system is RMHC's largest corporate partner, RMHC of the Four States is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Our local owner/operators and their employees and customers are incredibly invested in keeping families close, and we are so thankful to them. However, we rely on the support of the entire community to achieve our mission, and greatly value donations from the community and other corporate partners.
From 1999 to 2014, more than $200,000 have been given in matching grants
Another way Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Four States fulfills its mission to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children is through our Matching Grant program. We review, select and award matching grants to not- for-profit organizations and programs in area communities that directly benefit children and their families.
The monies used to fund these grants are derived exclusively from the fundraising efforts of McDonald’s restaurants and associated sponsors at both the national and local levels. These monies are restricted for the matching grant program and are funds that cannot be used for operating our House.
HISTORY OF GRANT MAKING PROGRAM
1999
■ Joplin Family Self-help Center d.b.a. Lafayette House $15,000
Project CONSTRUCT for implementation of a constructivist curriculum in order to better assess children’s growth in school. Playground equipment
■ Ozark Community Mental Health Center $2,000
K.I.D.D.S. (Kids Impacted by Death or Divorce Situations) program designed to help children of all ages and ethnicities overcome the grief associated with loss from death or divorce
2000
■ Chad & Jana Evans $1,350
Reimbursement of tuition costs associated with the Summer Camp Conductive Education program providing intensive therapy for children with motor disabilities
2001
■ St. John’s Regional Medical Center Birthing Center $50,000
Establish Family Support areas in the new Sr. Kevin Kerwin Birthing Center
2002
■ Freeman Foundation – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit $10,832
Support the expansion of the N.I.C.U
2004
■ Jasper Country Sheltered Facilities d.b.a. Community Support Services $11,150
Vinyl flooring to cover the Carl McConnell Activity Center floor (75 x100). This center will house a fitness & nutrition program specifically for children with developmental disabilities
■ Magic Moments Riding Therapy $7,609
Purchase a mobile/portable mounting ramp to provide easy access to horse riding for individuals with wheelchairs & walkers; to construct three horse stalls & tack room for feed & supplies
■ Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center $5,000
Develop educational programs and curriculum to provide school-based environmental activities through a hands-on field experiences and programs, including an educational teacher mailer to help coordinate educational program development
■ Southeast Kansas Nature Center at Schermerhorn Park $500
Purchase a kitchen stove & microwave, cooking utensils & crockpot to complete kitchen renovations, enabling preparation of meals for full day activities & hands-on workshops
2005
■ Family Resource Center, Inc. Pittsburg, Kansas $20,000
Gross motor play equipment for children attending the child care center and preschool, including outdoor play equipment and indoor equipment and supplies used to promote healthy lifestyles, learning through play and social development
2006
■ Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri $5,346
Recreational equipment including a 10 ft climbing rock wall and indoor ropes system
■ Delaware County Children’s Special Advocacy Network, Inc., Jay Oklahoma $4,944
Carpet and laminate flooring for the play therapy room and rooms used in crisis intervention, counseling and interviews with caretakers
2007
■ Ozark Center Autism School $5,000
Purchase of equipment of tables and chairs for the children and/or play equipment which will be used for therapy/classroom enrichment classes
■ Barton County Medical Center – Inpatient Pediatric Room $10,000
Purchase of comfortable furniture including a Stryker hospital bed, Symmetric air mattress, overbed table, sleeper settee, bedside table, draperies, curtains, side chairs, artwork and activity package for an inpatient pediatric room
2011
■ Freeman Health System – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit $35,000
Purchase of a Giraffe OmniBed which is an enclosed crib that serves as both a warmer and isolette for premature infants
2012
■ Joplin Rotary Tornado Task Force $35,000
Construction and purchase of Dugout Structure, Dugout Benches, Bleacher, Bleacher Sunshade and Scoreboard at the Will Norton Miracle Field
2014
■ Freeman Health System – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit $16,934
Purchase of an I-STAT, or Point of Care Analyzer and two Kangaroo chairs
■ Mercy Health Foundation Joplin – Children Life Activity Room $18,066
Purchase of a variety of safe and developmentally appropriate toys, games, art, books, and equipment to meet the objectives of the child life center