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 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Taxi vouchers are provided for after hour emergencies.
  • Prepared meals, nonperishable 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.
  • Family passes provided to area attractions
  • McDonalds 50% off discount cards available.

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 Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan 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.

 

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.

 

 

2010 Numbers

Medical Visits by Guests

Location:   Number of Visits:          Percentage:
                
Guest Visits by Hospital:                                                  687   100%
            
Spectrum Health Medical Center:    565   82.24%
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Service:   40   5.83%
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital:   38   5.53%
Forest View Hospital:   30   4.36%
Conductive Learning Center:   9   1.31%
Other (Hope Network, Doctor's Office etc.):   5   .73%

 

Patient Diagnosis:

Diagnosis:                                                                                                          Number of Diagnosis:     Percentage:
Neonatal   239   34.7%
Pediatric   111   16.16%
Outpatient   87   12.66%
Psychiatric   64   9.32%
Doctor Appointment   43   6.26%
Pediatric Intensive Care   39   4.68%
Surgery   26   3.78%
Rehabilitation   25   3.64%
Oncology   21   3.06%
Intensive Feeding Program   11   1.60%
Other ( Neurology, Heart Center, Eating Disorders, Etc.)   21   3.06%

 

Top 5 Referral Counties ( # of Guest Visits)

County:                  Number of Referrals:
Muskegon     66
Grand Traverse     48
Ottawa     35
Mason     32
Antrim/Berrien               

28

       
Counties Served:      64
Precentage of Counties:      77.12%

 

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.
  • Medicaid 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.

Housing Numbers:

Total Number of Families Served:                460 families
Total Number of Families Visits (Including returning families):   687 visits
Total Number of Nights of Lodging Provided:   3,601 nights
Occupancy Rate:   66%
Average Length of Stay:   5 Days
Number of Families Unable to be Accomodated:   308 families

Guest Services Numbers:

Number of Community-Prepared Meals:                       270 Meals
Number of miles traveled by Ronald Mcdonald House Shuttle:    20.531 miles
Amount  of  Areas that the Free Shuttle Service is Provided   11 area Hospital/Facilities
Average trips the shuttle driver makes per week:   70 trips
Number of Taxi Vouchers:   141
Number of Hotel Referrals:   26
Self-Pay:   0
Subsidy Program:   6

2010 Volunteer Facts

Volunteer Service Hours:                          8,565.5 hrs
Number of Active Volunters ( 30 hrs +):   94 Volunteers
Number of Shuttle Drivers:   49 Drivers
Number of In-House Volunteers:   79 Volunteers

Our Volunteers!

  • 112 McMeal Makers prepared 270 home-cooked meals for guests.
  • 85 McCookie Bakers provided 466 batches of homemade cookies for guests.
  • 12 McDairy Pals donated 156 loaves of bread, gallons of milk, cartons of eggs, tubs of butter to stock the House "community" refrigerator.