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| Last updated on May 9, 2008 |
The mission of the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Hawaii, Inc. (RMHC-HI) is to provide a home-away-from-home for seriously ill children and their families, and to develop other programs and partnerships aimed at improving the lives of children in Hawaii and the Pacific.
Description:
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, created in 1987 to expand the positive impact of Hawaii's Ronald McDonald House on the communities served. The House, which opened in 1987, has been and will always be RMHC-HI's cornerstone program. The mission of RMHC-HI is to "provide a home-away-from-home for seriously ill children and their families, and to develop other programs and partnerships aimed at improving the lives of children in Hawaii and the Pacific." In short, RMHC-HI keeps families together when they need each other most so that they can do the most to nurture each other.
No other Hawaii organization is set up to do what RMHC-HI does. Much of its success can be credited to the community, not only for monetary contributions but also the thousands of hours of personnel time given by hundreds of committed RMHC-HI volunteers. Volunteerism is essential in achieving the RMHC-HI's mission.
RMHC-HI operates three facilities to assist families that have children with serious health conditions. Two residential facilities support those compelled to fly to Oahu for critical medical treatments not available on their home island. For many, an ocean literally separates them from their child's desperately needed attention. This includes Hawaii's Neighbor Islands, and other Pacific locals such as Guam, Saipan, Samoa and the Federated Sates of Micronesia. Lengths of stay vary widely at the overnight facilities depending on diagnosis but generally range from several days to several months. The overnight facilities strive to foster emotional, spiritual, and mental support to all who live within.
The third facility is an in-hospital respite center-- the Ronald McDonald House Family Room--which serves immediate family members of inpatient children at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, giving the highest priority to those families with children in the Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units. The Family Room enables RMHC-HI to assist Oahu families.
History:
OUR HOUSE HISTORY
In 1982 a group of concerned citizens began work to open a Ronald McDonald House in Hawaii. The group was composed of parents of previously hospitalized children, medical personnel, business people, representatives from the Junior League of Honolulu, the March of Dimes, and the Hospital Auxiliary at Kapiolani Women's and Children's Medical Center. Based upon their personal experiences and the testimony of nurses and social workers at Kapiolani Women's and Children's Medical Center, there was an overwhelming need in Hawaii for an affordable temporary shelter for the families of children hospitalized with serious or life-threatening illnesses.
With the wholehearted support of Kapiolani Women's and Children's Medical Center and Hawaii's McDonald's Restaurant Owner's Association, this group began searching for an ideal site for a Ronald McDonald House. In February 1984, the perfect house was located at 1970 Judd Hillside Road in Manoa. In March 1987, after a year of renovation and expansion, the Ronald McDonald House opened its doors to its first guest to become a true 'home away from home' for those families in need.
WHY A HAWAII RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE?
The Hawaii Ronald McDonald House joins over 100 similar facilities that have been built to assist families with the tremendous emotional and financial burdens that inevitably arise when a child becomes critically ill and must receive hospital care. The House allows families to stay near their sick child and keeps them together during a time of crisis as well as offers them a home-like atmosphere where they can relax and unwind from the tensions of the hospital. Families staying in the House are experiencing similar difficulties and have the opportunity to share their common fears and joys and find comfort and support. The financial strains on family resources are reduced considerably because the House is low cost.
The idea of a home for families of hospitalized children originated in 1973 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when Fred Hill, a member of Philadelphia Eagles Football Team, learned that his young daughter Kim had leukemia. Through his and his team's efforts, and working together with many members of the community and local McDonald's Restaurants, funds were raised and a House was opened in Philadelphia. The tremendous value and success of this first House sparked interest throughout the entire country and abroad, and the McDonald's Corporation continued to be a major sponsor, helping support both the construction of new Houses and their on-going expenses. It is to recognize this contribution that many Houses have taken the name of Ronald McDonald for the positive, helpful, and fun loving feeling he inspires in children.
With the help of our committed and caring volunteer staff, it is our goal to provide a temporary home and to foster emotional, spiritual, and mental support to all who live within.
Contact people:
Office fax number: (808) 955-8794
Address:
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1970 Judd Hillside House
Honolulu, HI 96822
(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.ronaldhousehawaii.org
Directions:
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Take H-1 west to the Punahou Street cut off.
Please take a left onto Punahou Street and you will go through four stoplights.
Just before the fork in the road take a left onto Judd Hillside Road
The Ronald McDonald. . . (more)
Nearest Bus Stop: Bus number 5 Punahou and Kamehameha Ave, 5 min minute walk |
User Reflections
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Overall Experience 
A place of serenity when I thought I had nothing left
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I did not volunteer here, although that is my plan. However I was a person who benefited heavily from the volunteers. When my 8 day old son had heart failure, my husband and I were rushed to kapiolani medical center on Oahu where we were informed that our son was very sick. it is a feeling of complete desperation. I know that my husband and I could not have coped as well as we did with out the Ronald McDonald house and its staff. Not to mention the other families that was going through the same thing. It brought a sense of home to us in a very low time. This Charity is amazing and I owe my strength to it.
posted by nikkiknitec on August 18, 2008 |
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