Earlier this week I volunteered some of my time to photograph the mock up of a family room at the Ronald McDonald House near the new Children’s Memorial Hospital.  The mockup is vital to the fund raising efforts because as of today, the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House is nothing more than a large hole in the ground in the Streeterville neighborhood.  Brochures, computer and artists renderings are a good start, but being able to actually see what one of the new rooms looks like really brings to life how much the new house is raising the bar when it comes to it’s mission of offering comfort, support and care for families of children undergoing treatment at hospitals around the country.

One feature of all the rooms at the houses is a journal, which families staying at the house are encouraged to write in during their stay.  At first I thought it was just a neat little touch that the House offers, and a cool way to have people say nice things about their stay.   But reading through some of the entries, you really see how important the mission of the Ronald McDonald Houses is.  Once you’ve read the words of a mother writing about sitting next to the bed as her 3 year old child passes away, talking about the process she’s going through and how she’ll move on……you’ll find it in your heart to support this incredible organization.

If you’d like to schedule a tour of the model rooms which is on display at the Ronald McDonald House near Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, please contact Jaime Haberkorn at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicago and Northern Indiana at (630) 623-5533