Our House Facts

Mission: To provide a "Home Away From Home" for families of children and youth seeking medical treatment in our community.

Opened: March 23, 1990

Facility:

  • 19,000 square foot farm style home
  • 17 bedrooms with private bath
  • Community style kitchen, dining room, playroom, recreation room with TV and pool tables
  • Large laundry room, great room and sun room
  • Five beautiful park-like acres with a playhouse, playground equipment, grill and outdoor furniture

Complimentary Services:

  • Shuttle Service 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Daily emergency taxi vouchers available.
  • Prepared meals, non perishable food items, dairy products, and homemade baked goods.  
  • Laundry facility and laundry supplies.
  • Children's playroom, playhouse, playscape, games, books, and puzzles. 
  • Recreation room with pool table, library, & foosball. 
  • On-site mailboxes, wireless internet and computer access. 
  • Long distance calling cards available upon request.
  • Family passes provided to area attractions
  • McDonalds 50% off discount cards available. 
  • Non-emergency medical Services provided by the Center for Family Health.


Referral Sources:  All hospital and medical treatment programs located in Grand Rapids can refer parents with children 21 years or younger receiving inpatient or outpatient care.

Referral Procedures:

  • New guests may be referred by hospital personnel, a doctor's office or outpatient clinic. Guests may self refer provided they have a child under 21 receiving medical treatment in a Grand Rapids medical facility.
  • Families are placed on a waiting list and rooms are confirmed on the date of arrival. The WMRMH does not take reservations.
  • Rooms are assigned on a first come, first serve basis with prioritization given to families of patients who live the greatest distance from medical facility. 
  • At time of check in, the House will verify the child's treatment with the medical facility.
  • Hotel referrals are made at a compassionate rate when the House is full. 
  • Day passes are available for families who do not require overnight accommodation and those who live 30 miles or less from medical facility. 
2008 Number of Guest Visits by Hospital 457
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital 354 77%
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services 29 6%
Conductive Learning Center 27 6%
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital 16 4%
Spectrum Health - Downtown (Butterworth) 9 2%
Forest View Hospital 9

2%

Remaining Equal 3%
Spectrum Health Continuing Care  4
Doctor's Office 4
Metro Health
Unknown
Hope Network - E.Beltline
Saint Mary's Health Care
3
2
1
1


 

Patient Diagnosis:

Neonatal 248 40%
Pediatric 110 18%
Outpatient 103 17%
Pediatric Intensive Care 44 7%
Psychiatric 42 7%
At Risk Pregnancy 14 2%
Surgery
Intensive Feeding Program
Oncology
Doctor Appointment
12
8
8
7
2%
1%
1%
1%
Rehabilitation 5 remaining equal 11%
Heart Center 5
Neurology 3
Radiology 3
Auto Accident 2
Sleep Lab 2
Unknown 2
Hematology 1

Top 5 Referral Counties ( # of Guest Visits)

Muskegon 93
Out of State 40
Grand Traverse 32
Ottawa 30
Oceana  27

Funding: Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan is independently funded and operated. The local house is responsible for its own $500,000 budget. Ronald McDonald House Charities and McDonald's Corporation are separate organizations supportive to the House's mission.

Room Contributions: Guest families are asked to make a contribution toward their stay. No one is turned away due to the inability to contribute.

  • Each guest family is asked to make a suggested contribution of $25 per night. 
  • No one is ever turned away due to an inability to contribute.
  • Medical and/or Children's Special Health Care may be billed with prior authorization from the family's DHS/CSHC case worker. 
  • Auto Insurance and other medical insurance may be billed in some instances. Families are asked to check with their insurance company regarding their eligibility. 

 Total Number of Families Served: 457

Occupancy Rate:   94%

Average Length of Stay:  9 days

Number of Families Unable to be Accommodated:  151

Guest Services

Number of community-prepared meals:   257

Number of miles traveled by RMH shuttle van:   35,298

Free shuttle service is provided to 11 area hospitals/facilities.

On average, the RMHWM Shuttle Drivers make 70 trips in the van per week.

Number of Taxi Vouchers:   115

Number of Hotel Referrals:   110

Self-Pay:   45

Subsidy program:   65

2008 Volunteer Facts

2008 Volunteer Service Hours:  13,882

Number of Active Volunteers (30 hrs +):  110

Number of Shuttle Drivers:  49*

Number of In-House Volunteers:  72*

* volunteers are cross-trained as both In-House Volunteers & Shuttle Drivers

85 McMeal Makers prepared 257 home-cooked meals for WMRMH guests.

48 McCookie Bakers provided 413 batches of homemade cookies for WMRMH guests.

15 McDairy Pals donated 119 loaves of bread, gallons of milk, cartons of eggs, tubs of butter to stock the House "community" refrigerator.


Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan 1323 Cedar NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 [p]616.776.1300 [f]616.776.0368   Office Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.