Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois (RMHCCI) is coming to Peoria and is excited to announce its plans to build a $7 million, 22-bedroom Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in the heart of the Peoria medical district!
The new RMH will be located on the corner of Spalding Avenue and NE Monroe Street. Based on a medical feasibility study completed in the region, the new House will serve over 700 families annually and provide hundreds of volunteer opportunities for the community as well as a dozen or more new jobs.
“The new Peoria Ronald McDonald House will continue to build and expand Peoria’s growing medical district services,” stated Mayor Jim Ardis. “Not only will it be good for Peoria and our economic development, but it will also help families save precious dollars and keep them close to their children during a very stressful time in their lives.”
A 25-person committee has been meeting monthly for the past year to plan the effort. The group is comprised of Peoria area residents including Honorary Chair Gordon Honegger, Chairman Emeritus of Morton Community Bank; and Co-Chairs Terry Clark, McDonald’s Owner/Operator in Peoria, and Julie Locke, Founder of The DAX Foundation.
According to Capital Campaign Co-Chair Terry Clark, “The central Illinois McDonald’s owner/operators are so happy and excited to help bring a Ronald McDonald House to Peoria. As a mission partner with this charity, we are committed to raise funds to provide a place for families to call home, so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at no cost.” Campaign Co-Chair Julie Locke added, “The DAX Foundation aims to help families in need who are receiving medical treatment for cancer, and the mission of the Ronald McDonald House aligns perfectly with our goal of serving these families by providing a caring and comfortable home so families can focus all of their energy on what matters most — the health and wellbeing of their child.”
The group held multiple community and business stakeholder meetings with input from over 40 individuals and organizations represented, including the OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, UnityPoint Health, and the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate.
“I’m thrilled to have the new Peoria Ronald McDonald House coming to my district. This House fulfills an essential community need by providing families a place to stay free of charge while caring for their critically ill child,” stated First District Councilwoman Denise Moore.
Farnsworth Group and River City Construction have been contracted to design and build the new 40,000 square-foot Ronald McDonald House. Key donors to the project are The DAX Foundation, McDonald’s Owner/Operators of the central Illinois region, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Marquis Energy, CEFCU, and family foundations located in central Illinois. The local spokesperson family for the project is Adam and Christine Simmons, who stayed in a Ronald McDonald House for several months while their son Bowden was critically ill and are passionate about bringing RMH to Peoria.
“As a major regional medical center, especially with the OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois, it’s important to have facilities that ensure all families are able to get the care they need here,” said State Senator Chuck Weaver (R-Peoria). “This new Ronald McDonald House will be an asset to the local community and the families of Central Illinois.”
The capital campaign to bring a Ronald McDonald House to Peoria is $7M, and over half the funds have been committed. The new House will be a 4.5 story building, and program space will include a community room, game room, art room, kitchen, family, and living room, with 22 bedrooms to start.
Adopt-the-House sponsorship opportunities, as well as individual giving opportunities, are available and can be viewed online at
www.rmhc-centralillinois.org. For more information about how to support the project, please contact Kelly Thompson, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois, at 309-401-2525 or kt@rmhc-centralillinois.org.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide a supportive place for families to stay while their child is receiving medical care, and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. We provide families with private bedroom and bathroom, home-cooked meals and more to help ease the stress they face during a medical crisis. For more information, visit rmhc-centralillinois.org, follow RMHCCI on Twitter (@RMHCCI) or like RMHCCI on Facebook (Facebook.com/rmhcci).
About Ronald McDonald House Charities®
Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®), a non-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Through its global network of over 290 Chapters in more than 63 countries and regions, its three core programs, the Ronald McDonald House®, the Ronald McDonald Family Room® and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®, and millions of dollars in grants to support children’s programs worldwide, RMHC provides compassionate care and resources to children and families being served by leading hospitals worldwide. RMHC programs provide access to quality health care and enable family-centered care ensuring families are fully supported and actively involved in their child’s care. For more information, visit rmhc.org.
Link for rendering: https://www.dropbox.com/s/g8ejxaiyvooy0x0/Peoria%20House%20Rendering_Final.png?dl=0