We’re going to extraordinary measures to create some extremely ordinary times.
After 25 years of helping families stay together through some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable, we decided enough wasn’t really enough after all. Keep reading to find out what we’re doing about it.
BOREDOM IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.
Why, you may be wondering, do we focus on keeping things ordinary, unperturbed, and, yes, even boring. Because the families we serve are normal folks facing abnormal situations – kids with medical issues that are sometimes rare, sometimes chronic, sometimes both. And they’re often hundreds of miles from home.
What they need is a welcoming place to stay. Laundry facilities. Meals. Help with schoolwork. Places to hang out, watch movies or play games (whether board, video or invented). Assistance with managing finances and things back home. Maybe even a haircut or two.
But the last thing they need is more stress.
So yes, we get very, very excited about keeping things on an even keel.
Consider us the made-to-order, one-of-kind, double with everything.
In 1994, we opened our House with 10 guest rooms. In 2000, we doubled our capacity to 20. Now we’re doubling down on doubling up and have expanded to 40 guest rooms. But that was just part of the plan. We’ve got extras and add-ons and unexpected upgrades galore. RMHC in Omaha’s facilities are unlike any other House in the world. A designation we honestly hope doesn’t last very long.
To learn more about our new spaces, click on the info buttons (the circled + signs) on the illustration. And since we didn’t want a 20-story drawing, we relegated a few rooms to the text below:
Guest Rooms Twenty new rooms join the 20 existing (and now renovated) rooms so we can serve 40 families day after night after day.
Toy Closet A glass-walled treasure trove of donated toys that are given to kids upon check-in. And on the their birthdays. Also, holidays. Sometimes game nights. Because they’re kids and kids need toys. It’s science.
Check-In Room Arriving at an unfamiliar place at odd hours under difficult circumstances is stressful enough. The new check-in room offers families an inviting, relaxing – and private – area to take care of what needs taking care of when they first arrive at the House.
Office Space After a quarter of a century, the staff at RMHC in Omaha finally gets its very own office space.
We couldn’t say itBETTER OURSELVES.
In 2018, RMHC in Omaha hosted over 150 families from 22 states who spent a total of 6,496 nights – with an average stay of 45 days – at the House. Half of these families were making the trip to Omaha for the first time. And while each family shares a common bond, their stories are uniquely their own.
HELP US KEEP THELOVE LOCAL.
Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha may be named after an internationally famous big-shoed burgermeister, but our mission and funding is decidedly local.
Our funding is raised throughout the year at several RMHC events, the collection of pop can tabs (seriously, it pays our electric bill), and various kind-hearted corporate and individual donors from around the community
Additional funding comes in part from McDonald’s MAC, Inc., the regional McDonald’s franchisee group, who support us as title sponsors of our annual golf tournament, via the donation slots at McDonald’s drive-thrus, and assorted other forms of generosity.
It costs $120 per night to host a family. And while we suggest that each family contribute $20 towards that amount, no one is ever turned away due to financial reasons.
So, if you’d like to donate and perhaps sponsor a night or two, click here. Or if you’re more of the volunteering type, keep scrolling down to our contact form.
SAY HELLO ORRAISE YOUR HAND.
For even more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities Omaha, be sure to visit our main website. If you have any other questions or would like information on how to get involved, fill out the contact form and we’ll get back quicker than you can say “two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun” forty-seven times fast.
THIS SITE MADE POSSIBLE BY SOMENOT-SO-ORDINARY PARTNERS.
Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha would like to thank the American Advertising Federation Omaha and the UNO College of Information Science & Technology IT Outreach Department for the development of this website.
Photographs generously shot and provided by Scott Dobry.
