Keeping Families Close™

when it matters most

A place for rest, meals, and support
while your child is receiving medical care

stay close

get rest & support

help your child heal

We know...

When your child is ill and needs medical care,
your normal life stops.

And when medical care is away from home, you need to make calls, reschedule work, be certain the rest of your family is cared for, and figure out a place to stay during the care.

Without support from people and places, you could spend thousands of dollars on travel, lodging, and food to stay as close to your child as possible.
These stresses on top of your child’s needs and medical expenses can be overwhelming and exhausting.
• • •
And when you are exhausted and stressed, remaining clear-minded to best care for your child can be challenging.
• • •
That’s why we are here.

Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Red River Valley
is here to support you,
so you can support your child.

Keeping Families Close™
Providing home-like comfort, support, and care for families.

We provide families

A Room+


We provide a bedroom where you can rest overnight, a bathroom where you can care for yourself, and laundry facilities.

Dinner & Food


Volunteers prepare dinner each evening. A fully-stocked pantry is available to you for grab-and-go snacks and meal preparation.

Support


Our staff will refer you to additional resources for support. Our guest families connect and strengthen each other as well.

Ronald McDonald Family Room

This Family Room at Essentia Health Hospital is a place for families with babies-in-care to recharge, eat, and/or shower.

A Room+


We provide a bedroom where you can rest overnight, a bathroom where you can care for yourself, and laundry facilities for your clothing.

Dinner & Food


Volunteers prepare dinner each evening. A fully-stocked pantry is available to you for grab-and-go snacks and meal preparation.

Support


Our staff will refer you to additional resources for support. Our guest families connect and strengthen each other as well.

Ronald McDonald House Family Room

This Family Room at Essentia Health Hospital is a place for families with babies-in-care to recharge, eat, and/or shower.

Because children heal better when their family is close...
and their families stay healthier too.

Impact Statistics

Proximity to the Hospital Provides Important Psychosocial Benefits

A study published in Families, Systems, & Health analyzed responses from over 2,000 family members and concluded that close proximity to the hospital, facilitated by accommodations such as Ronald McDonald Houses, provides important benefits for the family experience, psychological wellbeing, and perceptions of child recovery. Franck et al., Families, Systems, & Health (2013)

Parents of Hospitalized Children Experience High Levels of Stress & Anxiety

The StayClose study, conducted in the UK, found that almost two-thirds of parents, whose children were hospitalized for at least three days, had borderline/clinical levels of anxiety, and 38 percent of those experienced a similar level of anxiety three months after their child’s discharge. While hospitals provide medical care, the Ronald McDonald Houses provide a “home-away-from-home”, which may help alleviate stress and anxiety, thereby improving their ability to participate in the care of their child receiving medical treatment. Wray et al., Journal of Child Health Care (2011)

Parents Get Better Sleep at Ronald McDonald Houses

A study published in Behavioral Sleep Medicine found parents who slept at a Ronald McDonald House had better sleep quality than parents sleeping at their child’s bedside, which is likely to help parents participate more thoroughly in their child’s care as they are better-rested. Franck et al., Behavioral Sleep Medicine (2013)

What families say

• Hover your cursor over the testimonial to pause the slide and read the testimonial •

Support Us

Our donors and volunteers make this house a home for families who need us.
We invite you to become part of this special team of people.

the Journal

There’s always something going on at our House.
• Click the button below the image to read the article on LinkedIn •

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