Ronald McDonald House Launches "Family Stays" Campaign and Announces Next-Phase Actions Toward Doubling Families Served by 2030

CHICAGO, October 15, 2025 – Ronald McDonald House, an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that cares for families when they have children who are ill or injured, today launched a global "Family Stays" campaign. The campaign reintroduces the organization to showcase exactly what Ronald McDonald House does for families around the world: provide essential resources, a community of support, and accommodations near hospitals.

Now live across multiple markets globally, Family Stays features authentic letters from Ronald McDonald House families alongside video recreations to portray their experiences. The creative was captured by director Sara Dunlop and is accompanied by photos of real Ronald McDonald House families by renowned documentary photographer, Isadora Kosofsky, who portrayed the emotional depth of each family's journey.

The creative approach centers on genuine family experiences, reflecting the organization's commitment to authentic storytelling while respecting family privacy through thoughtful recreations. Early family reactions from the campaign's rollout have demonstrated the profound impact of families staying together during their child's medical treatment.

"At Ronald McDonald House, we understand the importance of putting families at the heart of their care,” said Joanna Sabato, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Ronald McDonald House Global. "The Family Stay campaign beautifully honors families’ courage while showing the world that Ronald McDonald House is more than a place to physically stay, it’s a place to stay supported, connected and cared for.”

The announcement comes as research published in Children found that nearly half (50%) of caregiver’s report depression symptoms and more than two-thirds (69%) report anxiety symptoms during their child's hospital stay. This finding highlights the significant mental health challenges caregivers face—challenges Ronald McDonald House addresses, ultimately improving health outcomes for children and their families— and reinforces the critical role the organization plays within healthcare systems.

"The pediatric healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly with specialized treatment and hospital consolidation forcing families to travel farther, stay longer and often return many times for their child’s treatment,” said Katie Fitzgerald, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ronald McDonald House Global. "Ronald McDonald House is essential in ensuring families get the support they need to remain fully involved in their child’s care. However, today we are only meeting about a third of demand for our services worldwide and that demand gap is predicted to grow. Too many families are on our waitlist and even more never get on the list because of capacity constraints; all of which can result in detrimental outcomes for children and their families.”

Currently, Ronald McDonald House believes the organization is meeting less than one-third of the global demand for its programs. By 2034, Ronald McDonald House projects that demand for House and Family Room programs will reach 2 million families per year. Because of this, the organization is setting an ambitious goal of doubling the number of families served by 2030.

Earlier this year, the organization announced a refreshed brand identity—Ronald McDonald House—in an effort to increase understanding of its work and attract the next generation of donors. While maintaining its core mission of supporting families during medical crises, Ronald McDonald House Chapters will begin adopting the new identity starting today through 2026.

Ronald McDonald House® is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that cares for families when they have children who are ill or injured. Through a global network of over 250 independently operated Chapters in 60+ countries and regions, we surround families with the resources, services and support they need, removing barriers so they can be at the heart of their child’s care and ensure the best possible health outcomes. For more information, visit ronaldmcdonaldhouse.org.

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