For families touched by pediatric cancer and illness, Ronald McDonald Houses across the country oftentimes play an integral role.
On May 15, the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Jill and Alan B. Miller Tower. The addition, which took two years to build – increases the room count from 45 to 127.
This is a huge deal for the Philly Ronald McDonald House because, previously it had to turn away four out of every five families on their first request to stay due to a lack of capacity. To combat the high turnaway rate, the organization raised funds to build the new tower — one with a rooftop garden, to boot.
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If you’re not familiar with Ronald McDonald Houses, they provide low- to no-cost housing for families traveling to Philadelphia for medical treatment for seriously ill children. The goal of the organization is to lessen the financial burden faced by these families by offering housing, meals and other support services (like childcare).
Moreover, the Houses represent a community of comfort and hope for the families.
The newly-expanded Ronald McDonald House is at 3925 Chestnut St. in University City.