We provide essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare.
We envision a world where all families have what they need to ensure the best health outcomes for their children.
available at our House
served in 2025
provided in 2025
Our House is 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.
with bathrooms, TVs, cable, and phones
provided daily by volunteers
fully-equipped with microwaves, refrigerators, and ovens
with free washers, dryers, and laundry supplies
with computer and internet access
for nursing mothers
in our Butterfly Garden and outdoor serenity patio
and playground for children
with video games and movies
to read, relax, and find community
throughout the week
for families without transportation
Families are stronger when they are together. By staying at Ronald McDonald House, parents 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.
When your child is sick, you want the best care possible – even if it is hundreds or thousands of miles away. Ronald McDonald House allows families to access specialized medical treatment by providing a place to stay at little or sometimes no cost.
Located adjacent to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, the Family Room offers comfort and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to families with seriously ill children receiving medical care at the hospital.
for naps and overnight stays on a first come basis
to relax
with snacks, coffee, and water
to establish Ronald McDonald House Gainesville after seeing a growing need to support the families of seriously ill children at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, Florida.
after searching for an existing building with no luck. The group decided to build a new House from the ground up, and exactly one year to the day, Ronald McDonald House Gainesville opened its doors.
The original House had 18 rooms, was built without the help of a professional sports team, and was the first Ronald McDonald House to be built specifically for caring for families.
Ronald McDonald House Gainesville celebrated the opening of the Ronald McDonald Family Room, located adjacent to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. Staffed by a team of friendly volunteers, the Family Room offers comfort and care for over
The House now operates 50 rooms and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On average, 1,000 families are served each year, not only from Florida’s 67 counties but also from 48 states and 35 countries.
to volunteerism, cause-related marketing promotions, and space to place donation boxes and Round-Up opportunities that raise money for Chapters around the world. McDonald’s has helped positively impact millions of children and their families while continuing to provide valuable resources and support to expand our core programs and services.
Although the McDonald’s system is our largest corporate partner, Ronald McDonald House Gainesville is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, and no one company solely funds the growth of our programs and services. We rely heavily on the support of our entire community and greatly value donations from all of our community and corporate partners.
We are always expanding ways that you can be involved.
