Our History

The Ronald McDonald House® program started in 1974 in Philadelphia. Kim Hill, the three-year-old daughter of Philadelphia Eagles tight-end Fred Hill, was diagnosed with leukemia. Not wanting to leave their child, Hill and his wife Fran slept on hospital chairs and ate food from vending machines. They saw other parents doing the same thing, as many of them had traveled great distances to bring their children to the medical facility, but the high cost of hotel rooms was prohibitive.  Hill reached out to people who could help. He rallied the support of his teammates to raise funds to help other families experiencing the same emotional and financial trauma as his own. Through Philadelphia Eagles General Manager Jim Murray, Leonard Tose, owner of the Eagles, and Ed Rensi, the regional manager of McDonald’s, the team offered its support to Dr. Audrey Evans, head of the pediatric oncology unit at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. McDonald’s owner/operators in Philadelphia donated proceeds from the sale of Shamrock Shakes to fulfill Dr. Evans’ dream of a house that could serve as a temporary residence for families of children being treated at her hospital, which led to the first Ronald McDonald House.

By 1979, ten more Houses had opened. 15 years later, local communities founded more than 100 Houses. Today, Ronald McDonald House supports families in over 60 countries and regions, offering:

• 390+ Houses
• 280 Family Rooms