Our Story
When parents are told that their child is seriously ill, life stops. The routine of daily tasks is interrupted by travel to distant cities for the best medical care. Dinners may come from hospital cafeterias or vending machines. The comforts of home are traded for sleeping in chairs near the bedside of a sick child unless there is a Ronald McDonald House nearby.
We are called "The House That Love Built." Our Central New York Ronald McDonald House opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day in 1982 through the grass roots efforts of parents, medical professionals, community business leaders, and individuals. Since that time, we have been a "home away from home" to more than 17,000 families whose children are seriously ill or injured. We have hosted children, parents, siblings, and grandparents from 48 counties across New York State, 45 other U.S. states, and numerous foreign countries. The Ronald McDonald House is open 24 hours a day, year round.
Our Programs
Our mission is three-fold. The cornerstone of our mission is the 16-bedroom CNY Ronald McDonald House. We provide funding for the Child Life Program at the Center for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders at University Hospital, SUNY Upstate Medical University. In addition, we award grants to 501c3-registered charities meeting the needs of children in Central New York and Northern Pennsylvania.
The Ronald McDonald
House of CNY is
Celebrating 25 Years!