Ronald McDonald House
Our homes are filled with more than help, they’re filled with hope.
Many families travel far from home and spend several weeks or months to get treatment for their seriously ill or injured child – a long time to be away or to divide a family. And, for children facing a serious medical crisis, nothing seems scarier than not having mom and dad close by for love and support. A Ronald McDonald House is that “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little or no cost.
Our Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest. We believe that when a child is hospitalized the love and support of family is as powerful as the strongest medicine prescribed.
Open 365 days a year, the Missoula Ronald McDonald House offers 12 comfortable guest rooms with private bathrooms, a double kitchen, large dining area, fully stocked pantry room, 4 laundry rooms, a Discovery Area playroom, a family game room and more! Several nights a week, a home-cooked meal is provided by a generous community group to help relieve stress for our guests.
“Our Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child…”
The Day Stay Program aims to provide House amenities to even more families of seriously-ill children by offering services during designated hours to families not currently staying at the House. All Day Stay participants must register upon their arrival at the House. A volunteer will provide a brief tour of the facilities and answer any questions. In order to protect the fragile health of our little ones, all visitors to Ronald McDonald House must be in good health and free of symptoms such as sore throat, fever, cough, runny nose, etc. Day Stay hours are from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.
How to Stay at The House
Requirements to Stay
- The patient must be 21 years of age or younger.
- The child must be an active patient receiving medical treatment.
- Each guest age 18 or older who plans to stay at the House must individually complete a Background Check Authorization From. If you have submitted one before there is no need to complete one again unless there has been a change in your circumstances
- Anyone over the age of 18 must have a valid state or federal photo ID upon check-in.
Who May Stay
- Any family member or guardian who provides care and support for the child. One room per family – maximum of 4 persons per room.
Fees for Stay
- Guests are asked to make a $25 contribution per night but no family is turned away regardless of their ability to pay.
Requesting a Room
- A social worker or doctor’s office will submit a Guest Referral Form and completed Background Check Authorization Form(s) to the House. Once all of the required documentation is received, a staff member will conduct a background check on all guests age 18 and over requesting temporary residence. Once the social worker has obtained all of the information, we are contacted to see if a room is available. A family can make advance reservations through a doctor’s office, but reservations should be confirmed prior to arrival.
- Unfortunately, due to the nature of the care of the patient, rooms cannot be guaranteed in advance. A family’s length of stay is often uncertain; instead, a family’s name is placed on a wait list for their day of arrival. Rooms are assigned daily as they become available.
House Policies
- Ronald McDonald House Charities opens its doors to up to 8 families each day, which requires a tremendous effort from our staff, volunteers, other families, and very generous community donors. To provide for the health and safety of everyone involved, we ask all families to observe the House Rules and Infectious Disease Policy. Ronald McDonald House Charities reserves the right to ask any family to check out at any time should it be considered necessary to preserve the well-being or health and safety of the other families in the House.
Check-out and Housekeeping
- The Ronald McDonald House does not have a housekeeping department. All families are required to clean and maintain their rooms on a regular basis. The expectations and House rules are explained when the family checks in.
- Guests must clean their room before checking out. A checklist of the tasks that should be completed will be given to the families prior to check out.
