Two beautifully-decorated rooms were recently added to the Ronald McDonald House in Chattanooga.
The now 28-bedroom house gives families with sick kids the gift of togetherness and keeps them near the care and resources they need to thrive. A transition from resident managers to managers on duty 24/7 has allowed the organization to reconfigure enough space to accommodate two more families every night.
"Our organization focuses on family-centered care and we are excited to be able to offer a comfortable night’s stay to two additional families every night," said President and CEO Jane Kaylor.
"The total cost to renovate these bedrooms was covered by grants including an expansion grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities Global. Thanks to partnerships with Tempur-pedic Sealy International, La-z-boy and the Hilton Supply Groups, both rooms are identical to the rest of the rooms in the house and include everything a family needs when their child is hospitalized.
"The need for additional guest rooms was justified by a constant waiting list of three to five families with an average wait time of five or more days. Most of the families referred to the Ronald McDonald House have babies in the neonatal intensive care unit or another intensive care unit," Ms. Kaylor said.
The organization typically serves 600 families per year with an average stay of 16 days per family. All services are offered free of charge to those in need.