The RMHC SWFL Report Informative. Inspiring. Impactful.
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Be Agile. Be Strategic. Be Inspired.
In 2021, Ronald McDonald House Charities® Southwest Florida (RMHC SWFL) celebrates our 25th anniversary of providing programs and impact to our community. We have come far in those years to enhance, expand, and develop services to benefit those we proudly serve. To celebrate with you and to inform and inspire about current initiatives, this month we launch The RMHC SWFL Report. We hope you find it beneficial and welcome your feedback. Read our Executive Director Laura Ragain's message of purpose and inspiration here.
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Laura Ragain, Executive Director |
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With April National Volunteer Month, we proudly recognize and thank our team of over 1000 volunteers whose tireless service make executing our mission possible. "Volunteers serve a variety of roles at the Ronald McDonald House® and Ronald McDonald Family Room® at Golisano Children's Hospital, as well as contribute to the success of our fundraising and awareness events" enthuses Illeny Farese, Volunteer Manager.
While COVID required us to put our volunteer program on hold, we hope to reestablish it in the near future. This month, we celebrate our volunteers in many ways including through social media and a special video.
On April 21st, we also will host a socially distanced drive-through Pajama Party for our volunteers with 100 hours or more of service since 2019. McDonald's owner/operator and Board member, Deana Homsi and her team graciously have agreed to provide the breakfast to thank our volunteers. To Deana and her team, we appreciate you!
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"When volunteering at RMHC SWFL, I feel whole and complete. Being flexible, I can be of service wherever I am needed and knowing I am helping others, families and staff, is what being a volunteer is all about."
-Tricia Aulls, RMHC SWFL Volunteer
"Being a RMHC volunteer means opening your heart and devoting your time to families who are going through a difficult time with their precious children. I love volunteering for RMHC because I know at the end of my shift I have done my best to make a family’s day just a little bit brighter!"
-Holly McKenna, RMHC SWFL Volunteer
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377! That's the total number of Ronald McDonald Houses worldwide in 45 countries and regions. The Ronald McDonald House helps loved ones remain together as a family in an environment of comfort, compassion, strength, and support.
12! With the completion of our expansion in 2020 - funded 100% by philanthropy - our capacity doubled from six to twelve bedrooms!
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Ronald McDonald
Family Room®
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6,491! That's the number of patient family visits to the Ronald McDonald Family Room in 2019. The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Golisano Children's Hospital offers families a place to rest and regroup during a child's hospital stay. On-site services include meals and snacks, a comfortable relaxation area with books and a television, and washers and dryers. |
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Ronald McDonald
Care Mobile® Program
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8,000+! That's the number of children served by the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® program in Southwest Florida in 2019. Did you know millions of children are uninsured and unable to obtain access to proper health care? The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® program helps deliver free medical and dental care directly to underserved children in their own neighborhoods. |
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Buddy, our House pup, is ready to welcome new families back! |
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After temporarily suspending our operations in April 2020 due to COVID, we've begun executing a four-phase reentry plan focusing on serving families while ensuring the highest safety. In conformance with the CDC and other safety requirements, we have achieved 25% capacity in the House. We will increase to 50%, 75%, and 100%, in phases two, three, and four respectively. |
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The Isabell Family faced a challenge when their adopted daughter, Anna, was born prematurely. "I know the Ronald McDonald House has been closed for a while due to COVID," says Andy Isabell, "and we were just so excited that we were able to stay as one of the first families back. We really felt like all we had to be concerned about was with Anna in the NICU and that was it. We just couldn't be thankful enough." |
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BY THE NUMBERS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA |
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Average Family Night stay at the Ronald McDonald House in 2019: 25 Nights
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First Ronald McDonald Care Mobile on the road: 2004 in Collier County, alongside our partner, Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida |
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Current Ronald McDonald House capacity: 25%
(Phase 1 of reopening)
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Furthest distance a family has traveled and stayed at the Ronald McDonald House: 4,400 miles from Spain! |
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Amount donated by local McDonald's in 2020, through canister collections, Round-Up, Happy Meal sales, and in-store fundraisers: $204,598.64
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Ronald McDonald Family Room lunches provided since opening in 2017: 14,757
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Our supporters and corporate partners - including individual donors and our local McDonald's owner/operators - provide essential funding so that RMHC SWFL can meet our mission and invest in programs and services for maximum impact to the children and families we serve.
Jim Castle, founder of Grampy's Charities, explains why he strongly supports RMHC SWFL here.
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Mission. Leadership. Excellence.
This defines the priorities, passion, and commitment of the diverse and engaged leaders who comprise our Board of Directors. After many years of service to RMHC® in both Ohio and Florida, Susan Ryckman became our chapter’s Board President in January 2021.
Learn from our new President about our 2020 successes and 2021 priorities to make a difference for the communities and people we serve here.
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Susan Ryckman, Board President |
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Are you on Social Media? If so, come join us online! You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn! Here you will find stories from our supporters and families, testimonial videos from families who've benefitted from our programs, cute photos of sweet babies when they get to go home with their parents, and so much more!
Please give us a follow, a like, or subscribe! We look forward to connecting!
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2nd Annual Grampy's Sporting Clays on Friday, October 15, 2021 at Sarasota Trap, Skeet and Clays in Nokomis, FL. |
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4th Annual Grampy's Pro-Am Golf Tournament on Friday, December 10, 2021 at Fiddlesticks Country Club in Fort Myers, FL. |
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VOLUNTEERS, TAKE ANOTHER BOW! |
There is no other way to put it, volunteers! We appreciate you! From the phones and doorbells you happily answer, to the delicious meals you prepare for our families, to the cleaning checklist you complete, to the ear you lend a family that needs to talk, to the events you help us with, and so much more! There are no amount of "thank you's" we can give to ever explain how appreciative we are for you! We hope these messages from our team make you feel loved because you certainly are! THANK YOU! |
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For more information about ways your philanthropic generosity can make a difference, contact:
Karen Zelden, Senior Director of Development
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Ronald McDonald House Charities® Southwest Florida | 239-437-0202
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