ANNUAL REPORT 2015
St. Louis
letter from the chairperson Gerald Durrell, a British zookeeper, author and television presenter said, “A house is not a home until it has a dog.� While Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis has been providing a home-away-from-home for families in our three Houses since 1981, at the end of 2015 we changed the dynamic of our home by adding Frankie, our specially trained therapy dog. Since her arrival, Frankie has brought smiles to countless children, parents, volunteers and staff. Her presence is just one more aspect that makes RMHC of St. Louis a very special place. I encourage you to read more about Frankie in the story on page 8 of this report. This year represented our most impressive fundraising year to date. In 2015, we raised approximately $3.5 million dollars primarily from individuals, corporations and special events. What most impresses me about this year is that we raised over $400,000 more from annual giving in 2015 compared to 2014. The increase in our annual giving is primarily from individuals who believe in our mission and our programs. In 2015, we had 410 Cornerstone Members, each giving $1,000 or more to RMHC, for total contributions of $1.4 million, representing more than 73% of our total annual giving revenue. Our donors continue to amaze me! No less powerful than our donors are our volunteers. While we have the most remarkable staff at RMHC, we would not be able to meet all the demands of our programs without the help of hundreds of volunteers who give tirelessly to our families. Each year, RMHC recognizes individual and corporate volunteers throughout the year. Many of these volunteers have been working with RMHC for numerous years. Their selfless stories astound me! We have set the stage for an amazing 2016. During 2016, we will commemorate 35 years as an organization helping families, we will celebrate the facelift of our Park Avenue House, which opened in 1996, and we will continue to serve families in our Houses, Family Rooms and through the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC of St. Louis continues to be a vibrant organization made up of remarkable staff, amazing donors and selfless volunteers who all work hard every day to serve resilient families and their children. Sincerely, Felicia Malter Chairperson, Board of Directors
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2015
board of directors Chairperson Felicia Malter Vice chairperson Steve Pelch Treasurer Steve Holste Secretary Colleen Schoendienst vice chairperson, ronald mcdonald care mobile Tami Keller Karen Baer Dave Brandt Ann Bueler Dr. Mary Michaeleen Cradock Shawn Dryden Steve Fahrig George Gipson, III Lincoln Gray Ed Harmon Anthony Irace Dr. Joseph Kahn Sirus Karimi Stephen Lux Derek Martin Jim Mosby Lee Renz Dave Sadler Mark Schlichter Keith Schieler Brad Seabaugh Deborah Vogt
www.rmhcstl.com
Our Mission
Providing a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill children
the heart of rmhc These values define for Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis the right course of action as we serve our guest families, volunteers, donors, partners, and team-members. Through this service, we impact our community and inspire others.
Acceptance accountability hospitality
We care for others without prejudice and value diversity. We commit to accepting responsibility for our actions and holding one another to the highest standards. We welcome everyone as if we are inviting them into our home, while maintaining a professional relationship.
integrity
We build trust through honesty, sincerity, and mututal respect.
stewardship
We safeguard the time, talent, and treasure with which we are entrusted. www.rmhcstl.com
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core programs Ronald McDonald House® •
•
•
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Three Houses and eight extended-stay apartments in St. Louis serve as a home-awayfrom-home for 59 families of seriously ill children each night Provides the comforts of home to nearly 2,000 families per year, including comfortable beds, warm meals, living areas, a kitchen and laundry facilities Open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year www.rmhcstl.com
Ronald McDonald family room® •
• •
Three St. Louis-area Family Rooms serve as an oasis inside Mercy Children’s Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Provide comfort and care to nearly 12,000 families each year Each Family Room is equipped with a kitchen area, free snacks, showers, laundry facilities, computers and TV
Ronald McDonald care mobile® •
•
•
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is operated in partnership with Eye Care Charity of Mid-America Serves 2,000 underprivileged children each year with on-the-spot eye exams and glasses, all free-of-charge Travels to schools around the St. Louis area where the need for eye care is greatest due to low household income
olive’s story
the engelmeyer family found comfort in a ronald mcdonald family room
H
aving a sick child in the hospital, even for just a few days, can feel like a lifetime. When 11day old Olive was admitted to the hospital in 2015 with a high fever and no diagnosis, her parents, Emily and Billy Engelmeyer, found themselves uncertain of what lay ahead for their family. Shortly after being admitted to the hospital, doctors determined that Olive was suffering from a virus and would need to be hospitalized for the next several days. During this difficult time, the Engelmeyers found comfort and care in the Ronald McDonald Family Room. An oasis within the hospital, the Ronald McDonald Family Room served as a place of peace for the Engelmeyers. Simply being able to sit on a
soft couch and grab a snack or drink in the Family Room, all just steps away from Olive’s hospital room, gave the Engelmeyers the comfort they needed to help Olive heal. Fortunately, Olive only remained in the hospital for five days. However, as the Engelmeyers found out, having a sick child in the hospital, even for a brief time, can take a toll on a family. “With a sick child, five days felt like much longer,” says Emily. Last year, Olive was one of nearly 12,000 children whose families found comfort and care inside a St. Louis-area Ronald McDonald Family Room. We are happy to report that today, she is a happy, healthy baby! www.rmhcstl.com
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2015
Financial R eport <1%
Support and Revenue Special Events and Miscellaneous Promotions Annual Giving Planned Giving McDonald’s/RMHC Funds Lodging Miscellaneous Income TOTAL
5%
$765,778 $1,867,926 $350,000 $336,159 $191,014 $4,952 $3,515,829
22%
10%
Special Events/ Miscellaneous Promotions Annual Giving
10%
Planned Giving McDonald’s/RMHC Funds Lodging Miscellaneous Income
53%
Expenses Programs General and Administrative Fundraising Total
$2,283,393 $384,350 $452,669 $3,120,412*
15% Programs
12%
General and Administration Fundraising
*The information reported in this pie chart does not include any ‘other income or expense’ items which RMHC of St. Louis reports below the net operating income line of the financial statements. Such items include in-kind donations, dividends and unrealized losses on investments, interest expense and depreciation expense.
Net Assets Net Assets Available for General Use Net Investment in Property and Equipment Board Designated for Endowment Permanently Restricted Net Assets Temporarily Restricted Net Assets Total
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www.rmhcstl.com
73%
4%
16%
$2,204,840 $8,656,668
5%
14%
Net Investment in Property and Equipment Board Designated for Endowment
$1,970,686
Permanently Restricted Net Assets
$617,739 $668,997 $14,118,930
Net Assets Available for General Use
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets
61%
2015 program highlights our three ronald mcdonald Houses
21,535
Room Nights available
17,942
Room Nights occupied
83%
occupancy rate
10 days
average length of stay
1,715
total families served by our three ronald mcdonald houses
our three ronald mcdonald family rooms mercy children’s hospital
st. louis children’s hospital
3,016
4,631
families served
families served
ssm Health cardinal glennon children’s hospital
3,714 families served
14,491 28,756 18,564 total visits
total visits
total visits
ronald mcdonald care mobile
2,064 eye exams
1,838 eyeglasses provided
www.rmhcstl.com
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welcome, frankie! rmhc’s new therapy dog provides lots of love for our guest families
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eet Frankie, our Chief Pawsitivity Officer, who arrived in December 2015 and now spends her days providing comfort to seriously ill children and their families here at the Ronald McDonald House. She is an Australian Labradoodle and specially trained therapy dog. In addition to knowing between 30-40 commands, she can brighten a child’s day or ease a parent’s stress by offering a hug, a wag of the tail, or a long cuddle. Frankie also brings a bit of normalcy to the families who miss their own pets after staying at the RMH for several weeks or months at a time. Frankie was provided to RMHC St. Louis by an anonymous donor, who also sponsored her training at Ultimate Canine in West Field, Indiana. Ultimate Canine has also trained therapy dogs for the RMHC chapters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Savannah, Georgia. Frankie worked with her trainer, Jessica
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www.rmhcstl.com
Benz, for six months before coming to St. Louis. “She loves kids, which is perfect for the Ronald McDonald House,” says Jessica. “She has a great working drive, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the kids for her.” Because she is an Australian Labradoodle, Frankie does not shed and is hypoallergenic, so even children with pet allergies or suppressed immune systems can enjoy her company. Frankie is currently at the West County Ronald McDonald House Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. She also travels to the other two St. Louis-area RMH locations and will soon begin visiting our three in-hospital Ronald McDonald Family Rooms. We would like to thank our friends at Treats Unleashed and the Barrett Station Vet Clinic for sponsoring Frankie’s comfort and care. Because of their generosity, Frankie is a happy and healthy dog!
2015 volunteer highlights
38,000 hours of recorded work
$828,020 total value of hours worked*
1,051
meals served by our family dinner program volunteers
1,200
active volunteers
*Hours reflect House, Family Room, and special event hours, and do not include the numerous hours spent by our dedicated committee members or Family Dinner Program volunteers.
To celebrate her 7th birthday, our friend Tessa and her helpers prepared dinner for RMHC families in December 2015.
Above, top: Volunteers from Liberty Mutual participated in a service day at our West County Ronald McDonald House in May 2015. Above, bottom: Volunteer Jimmy Williams and board member George Gipson present RMHC St. Louis President Dan Harbaugh with a $5,600 check from the McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inspiration Gospel Tour fundraiser, which took place in August 2015.
www.rmhcstl.com
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did you know? Children whose families stay at Ronald McDonald Houses tend to be the sickest, have traveled the farthest distances for care, and spend the longest time in the hospital. The Houses allow families to access the best medical care for their child, no matter how far away from home. Here are some more interesting facts about Ronald McDonald House Charities and why our organization is integral to the pediatric healthcare community.
62% of families who stayed at one of our rmh locations in 2015 had infants in a neonatal intensive care unit.
at least one rmhc program provides care for families being served at
89%
of top childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitals worldwide.
rmhc st. louis children received treatment at
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different medical centers throughout the st. louis area in 2015.
rmhc families travel to st. louis from all over the u.s. and world; however
85%
are from either missouri or illinois. 10
www.rmhcstl.com
94%
of hospital administrators agree that ronald mcdonald houses reduce parental
93%
agree stress, and they reduce costs for families.
letter from the president 2015 was another great year for the St. Louis Ronald McDonald House. As we close out our 34th year in operation, we are proud to continue our tradition of helping thousands of seriously ill children and their families in so many ways. We are allowed to do this because of our extraordinary volunteers, our extremely generous donors, our Board of Directors and staff, and the support of a community that is second to none in helping those in need. One of the most significant achievements of 2015 was the forming of a long-range facilities planning committee. Now with three Houses, three Family Rooms and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, it is very important for us to be looking ahead 10, 15, even 20 years and having a plan in place for these facilities. As a result of the work of this committee, in 2016 we will be conducting a much needed update and rehab of our Park Avenue Ronald McDonald House, which turned 20 years old in April of 2016. This facilities plan will be incorporated into our current long range plan and will also lead us to focus on the future in a more formal manner as it regards our Houses. As we embark upon our 35th year in operation, we do so knowing that we have an army of volunteers, donors and friends that are dedicated and committed to helping us reach out to more families and continue to provide the highest level of comfort and care during the most difficult time of their lives. And for that, we could not be more grateful. With Gratitude,
rmhc St. Louis
staff
Dan Harbaugh President lisa Stiefvater Vice President, Operations cheri wuertz Vice President, Finance frank cognata Vice President, Development pat newby Director, Administration judy schuler Director, Family Room Program Alison Kaspar Senior Manager, Human Resources matt lauer Senior Manager, House Operations abby bandelow Event Manager Jenifer braucksieker House Manager, West Pine michelle burman Finance Manager kathy mcdermott Data Manager jacob mcguire House Manager, Park Avenue katie Nepute Communications Manager Barb Jarvis Finance Coordinator danielle spencer Annual Giving Coordinator crista dillinger Communications Assistant courtney fischer Assistant Family Room Manager jaclyn french Event Assistant ginny kappel Human Resources-Volunteer Assistant larry pry Data Assistant nicki castrianni Assistant House Manager, West County Ian lindquist Assistant House Manager, West Pine lizzie poe Assistant House Manager, Park Avenue nicki island Receptionist, Park Avenue april cusumano Housekeeper, West Pine vicki ruckman Housekeeper, West Pine joy tate Housekeeper, West County
Dan Harbaugh RMHC St. Louis President www.rmhcstl.com
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About rmhc st. louis Love lives here. Ronald McDonald House Charities® of St. Louis provides a home-away-from home for families of seriously ill children traveling to St. Louis for medical treatment. There are three Ronald McDonald Houses® in St. Louis. Our first House was built on West Pine Blvd. near St. Louis Children’s Hospital in 1981. In 1996, we opened a second House on Park Ave. near SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. In 2003, eight long-term apartments were added, adjacent to the West Pine House. In 2010, RMHC St. Louis opened its third Ronald McDonald House — and the 300th in the world — on the campus of Mercy Children’s Hospital. The three Houses provide affordable or no-cost lodging for up to 59 families every night of the year. RMHC St. Louis also operates three Ronald McDonald Family Rooms®, which are located inside Mercy Children’s Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. Each of these rooms serves as an oasis within the hospital, offering both local and out-of-town families the essential comforts of home, including hot showers, laundry facilities, snacks, television, Internet access and a quiet place to relax. More than 80 families a day find comfort and care in our three Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, which are open 12 hours a day, 365 days a year, and staffed by volunteers. For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities® of St. Louis, including financial information such as audited financials and our Form 990, as well as the services we provide, please visit www.rmhcstl.com or call 314-773-1100.
contact us West Pine Ronald McDonald House 4381 West Pine Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63108 314-531-6601 Park Avenue Ronald McDonald House 3450 Park Ave. St. Louis, MO 63104 314-773-1100 West County Ronald McDonald House 300 Ronald McDonald House Ln. St. Louis, MO 63141 314-485-0300
connect with us facebook.com/rmhcstl twitter.com/rmhcstl or @rmhcstl instagram.com/rmhcstl or @rmhcstl
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