Ronald McDonald House

Many families travel far from home to get treatment for their seriously ill or injured children. Often, it can be a long time to be away from home, or to divide a family.

And, for children facing a serious medical crisis, nothing seems scarier than not having their mum and dad close by for love and support.

Our Ronald McDonald House programme provides a "home-away-from-home" for families so they can stay close by their hospitalised child at no cost.  Our Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on healing 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.

Ronald McDonald House Charities NZ has been instrumental in establishing the Ronald McDonald Houses in New Zealand. There are RMHC representatives on each Trust and RMHC provides a generous annual operating grant to each House and assists with capital expansion funding when needed.

Allow Families to Face the Weight of Illness Together

Families are stronger when they are together, which helps in the healing process. By staying at a Ronald McDonald House, parents also can better communicate with their child's medical team and keep up with complicated treatment plans when needed. They can also focus on the health of their child, rather than grocery shopping, cleaning or cooking meals.

Allow Children to Get the Best Care

When your child is sick, you want the best care possible - even if it is hundreds or thousands of kilometres away.  The Ronald McDonald House allows families to access specialised medical treatment by providing a place to stay at no cost.

Services for Families

At every House, families can enjoy:

• Home-cooked meals
• Private bedrooms
• Playrooms for children

Depending on the House, these services may also be available:

• Special suites for children with suppressed immune systems
• Accredited education programmes (Regional Health Schools)
• Recreational activities
• Gymnasium facilities
• Non-clinical support services 
• Sibling support services

The generosity of volunteers and donors make it all possible.  In return, families stay at no cost.  There is no limit on the time a family may spend in a Ronald McDonald House – it is completely dependent on the needs of the child.  Some families stay a few days and some for months.

Since the first New Zealand Ronald McDonald House opened in Wellington in 1991 thousands of families have been cared for. Each Ronald McDonald House in New Zealand is a charitable trust. Ronald McDonald House Charities are one of a family of supporters who contribute towards the establishment and annual running costs of each House.

We invite you to have a closer look at each House. Click on the logos below: