The New Mexico Ronald McDonald House

Keeping the Healing Touch of Parents within Reach

Every day, New Mexico families with critically ill children must travel to Albuquerque to gain access to essential medical care, unavailable in their community. Children undergoing medical treatment need their parents nearby, and parents need a temporary place to live, while they support their children. Staying at a hotel is not an option for many families because of the costs involved. Every year, Ronald McDonald House provides a "home-away-from-home" for hundreds of New Mexico families facing this challenging situation. Our mission is to provide temporary housing to families so they can access the healthcare their children need. The Ronald House is not a hotel, but a warm and caring home-like environment where families can sleep, prepare hot meals, do laundry, and find emotional support among families facing similar situations. If we were not here, some of these families would have to sleep in hospital waiting rooms or their cars.

Demographic Profile of Our Beneficiaries:

The New Mexico Ronald McDonald House serves families from all over New Mexico. In 2007, we served 703 families, providing 5,845 room nights of lodging to families in need. Nearly 80% of the families we serve are low-income. The majority of the families we serve are ethnic minorities: 75% were Hispanic, Native American, African American, or Asian American.

The families we serve have children that are facing many different kinds of serious health related issues. In 2007 50% were premature infants, 25% had cancer or kidney related illnesses, and the remainder had other types of critical injuries or illness.

State-wide Service/2007 Number of Nights by County