About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California (RMHCSC) and Walk for Kids
So what exactly does Ronald McDonald House provide? Ronald McDonald Houses are a part of RMHCSC and include six Houses across Southern California. They serve as a “home-away-from-home” for families of children undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses at nearby hospitals and medical facilities. The Houses provides inexpensive, and often free, lodging for families (no family is ever turned away due to an inability to pay) who travel long distances while their children undergo treatment.
For more than 35 years, RMHCSC has been committed to providing comfort, care and support to children and families through a variety of wellness and educational programs across Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. With the help of volunteers, RMHCSC operates six Ronald McDonald Houses in Bakersfield, Loma Linda, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange and Pasadena and two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, which help seriously-ill children and their families stay together during difficult times. The organization is also the only Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter that operates the cost-free, medically supervised, year-round Camp Ronald McDonald For Good Times®, designed to help children rediscover their self-esteem, self-reliance and independence after experiencing cancer. Within Southern California, RMHCSC has provided nearly $17 million in funding through its Community Grants Board to deserving non-profits and funds four college scholarship programs that have awarded more than $4.2 million to exemplary high school students. More information about RMHCSC and its programs can be found at www.rmhcsc.org or on Facebook and Twitter.
The Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House was opened in 1980 and rests two blocks from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. It has welcomed more than 20,000 families from more than 40 countries and serves up to 75 families per night.
Walk for Kids is a non-competitive 5k pledge event raises awareness and funds for RMHCSC, including the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, which provides comfort, care and support to families with critically-ill children. The walk takes place at four locations simultaneously – Los Angeles, Anaheim, Ontario and Long Beach – on Sunday, April 7 at 8 a.m. you would like to participate by walking or simply donating you can visit www.walkforkids.org.