Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico

“Without this Program families would sleep in their cars and sacrifice their jobs and or worse to be near their ill kids.” Says Director Kristin Rortvedt.  Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico provides a home away from home for families with ill children in medical treatment in Albuquerque.  Vision- Strengthening families and community one child at a time • Focusing on the critical needs of children. • Celebrating the diversity of the families we serve along with the staff, volunteers and donors who make them possible. • Staying true to our heritage of 27 years of responsible stewardship. • Operating with accountability and transparency. Ronald McDonald House Charities of NM provides temporary lodging for families who reside more than 50 miles away, with kids in medical treatment in Albuquerque. The New Mexico Charity is supported by generous donors, volunteers, and the community. Our core program, The Ronald McDonald House provides an affordable and comfortable home for 30 families nightly. The UNM Children's Hospital Ronald McDonald Family Room is a place of serenity, comfort and respite amidst the hectic hospital environment for local families with a child in treatment at UNM. Both offer families a chance to restore their physical and emotional health to be better caregivers for their children. Maintaining and stabilizing families has a long term impact on our communities. RMHC-NM provides unduplicated access to temporary, affordable lodging and respite services for families with critically ill children. Our House that Love Built provides a program directly improving the health and well being of our children and our future. The trauma of a serious illness shakes a child’s world, affecting parents, siblings, extended family, schools and communities. Parents here are away from their jobs and often lose them. Long-term illnesses also affect the health care industry and insurance rates. They are thrust into an unfamiliar world of unknowns without sufficient resources. A recent U.S. Surgeon General’s Survey showed children of stressed parents are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression. And there is an 85% divorce rate for parents with special-needs children. Compounding the stress are unavoidable financial issues. A catastrophic illness can cripple a family’s finances. Over 85% of families who stay in our House cannot afford the $15 per night donation. We still maintain a strict policy; no family is ever turned away for their inability to pay for their stay. No other organization duplicates this service. History- RMHC-NM’s core Lodging Program has served over 35,000 families’ since October 30, 1982. A dream came true for New Mexico when our House opened. It began with a collaboration of three Albuquerque hospitals, medical groups, private citizens, and the Junior League of Albuquerque. Seed funding ($25,000) from McDonald's Ray Kroc Fund. The group incorporated and established a volunteer board. Following extensive real estate searches, a 50-year lease was awarded by UNM for our House site on the North Campus. The state rallied, progress snowballed and the building was completed. The House opened with eight family guest rooms. By December 1985 the House was expanded again to meet the growing community need adding; 10 bedrooms, 10 baths, a larger living room, 2 solariums, more laundry space, and another kitchen In March 1996, we began serving the community as the Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico with an unchanged mission providing temporary housing and respite to families with ill children. In 2007 we opened the Ronald McDonald Family Room Program at UNM Children's Hospital; where we are provide similar services outside the walls of the Ronald McDonald House. It now serves over 600 guests monthly. In 2008 we completed the latest House Expansion doubling the capacity to 30 families. The House occupancy is now at 96%, even after doubling in size! Program Description The Albuquerque Ronald McDonald House consists of private sleeping rooms with full baths for each family, as well as complimentary services and emotional support far exceeding other lodging options: TempurPedic Beds, Cribs and Bassinets Direct-line Phones, Hair dryers and Bath amenities, Fully Stocked Kitchens and Home-Cooked Meals, Baby quilts and Breast Milk Supplies, BBQ Patio and Private Food Storage, Outdoor Play Spaces, Cable TV Books & Movie libraries, Laundry facilities and Linens, Business Center services, Computer Workstations Wireless internet access, Local Transportation and Passes to local attractions. Our unduplicated House Program provides families the ability to heal and go home.