RMHC SCO operates two Family Rooms inside McMaster Children’s Hospital and a Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton, which serve approximately 85 to 120 family members each day. About half of the families served in the three facilities are from the Niagara region, making this new Family Room an important enhancement to patient care at Niagara Health.

“The construction of the new Ronald McDonald Family Room reflects our unwavering dedication to patient-centered care and ensuring that families feel supported during their hospital experience,” says Heather Paterson, Executive Vice-President, Clinical Operations. “We are grateful to RMHC SCO for their partnership in making this vision a reality and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our community.”

Family Rooms are an extension of RMH. They provide respite areas directly inside the hospital to ensure that families in need can take care of themselves while remaining close to their hospitalized children.

The space will be located on the fourth floor, outside the Children’s Health Unit and feature respite areas, laundry, no-cost food services and, in partnership with our Children’s Health Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, family programming such as movie nights, toy drives and more. The day-to-day operations of the room will be run by Niagara Health volunteers.

“Family Rooms are such an important part of our mission at RMHC SCO, providing an environment to keep families together when it is needed most,” says Mario DeDivitiis, CEO, RMHC SCO. “With the construction of this new Ronald McDonald Family Room, we’re ensuring that families facing the toughest times have a comforting ‘home away from home’ right within the hospital.”

Silvergate Homes, a family-run business in Niagara, is overseeing the development of the new space. Construction is already underway and is expected to take four to five months to complete. The development of the Family Room is made possible through generous funding support from McDonald’s Canada, together with its independent franchisees and guests, RMH Canada and RMHC Global. Local fundraising for the room is being supported by the Rotary Club of St. Catharines South and the May Court Club of St. Catharines.

“We are honoured to be a part of this meaningful project alongside RMHC SCO and Niagara Health,” says Kelly Anderson, Sales and Marketing Manager, Silvergate Homes. “As a family business rooted in supporting our community, we take pride in contributing to the creation of a comforting space where families can find solace during challenging times. This project demonstrates our commitment to making a positive impact in Niagara and beyond.”