Hearts & Hands Campaign Case for Support

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Imagine the stress and uncertainty of caring for your sick or injured child. Imagine navigating the healthcare system and being your child’s strongest advocate so they get the best possible treatment and desired outcomes. Then imagine you’re forced to travel far from home, away from your support network and immediate family, and sometimes having to leave your job, to ensure your child receives the best care possible.

That’s where we come in.

Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central and Northern Arizona (RMHCCNAZ) keeps families together. We offer families a welcoming and safe place to stay, nourishing meals, and a support system of other families who are also experiencing a difficult time while being able to stay close to the facilities caring for their children.

We believe in family-centered care and take great pride in anticipating families’ needs so they can focus on their child’s recovery. We offer a sense of normalcy when things definitely are not normal.

In a year that has seen upheaval and turmoil and has forced all of us to reexamine so much of our lives, I am excited to introduce the 2020 Hearts and Hands Campaign. Hearts and Hands is a chance to bring some good into the world.

Your support will help us ensure that we’re always there, providing shelter, food, and comfort to families whose children are receiving medical care in the Valley. As the only organization in Arizona that does what we do, our partnerships with area hospitals is critical to children receiving the care they need.

Thank you for your interest in the House. I invite you to learn more about how you can open your heart and lend a hand.

Warmly,

Kerry Schulman Chief Executive Officer

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our mission Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central and Northern Arizona is a welcoming “home-away-from-home” for families with children facing medical challenges, providing an atmosphere of comfort, hope and courage.

What does RMHCCNAZ do?

Ronald McDonald House® keeps families together. For families who are caring for a critically sick or injured child staying at one of our partner hospitals, we provide comfortable and secure lodging, food, and access to the comforts of home. We are their “home-awayfrom-home.”

What’s the ask?

The 2020 Hearts and Hands Campaign is raising $500,000 to ensure that every family who is caring for a sick child over the next year has a place to stay – no matter what.

What are we trying to accomplish?

The 2020 Hearts and Hands Campaign will ensure that we are able to house every family, every night that they need us.

Who do you serve?

Last year, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona provided a “home-away-from-home” for nearly 1,500 families. More than 87% of our families come from Arizona, but we also serve families from around the globe.

What does it cost?

The families that stay at Ronald McDonald House are not asked to pay anything. Our services are completely free of charge to them.

The cost to maintain each House and care for families is made available through donations. It costs RMHCCNAZ $107 to house a family for one night.

Ronald McDonald House Charities helps families save more than $930 million in lodging and meal costs alone, alleviating a huge financial burden for families who already find themselves in crisis at the most stressful time of their lives.

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The last few months have turned our world upside down. COVID-19 has pushed pause on the world. But pediatric illness hasn’t stopped.

No parent wants to bring their child to the hospital during a time like this. In fact, it’s the last place they want to be.

But some have no choice, and that has made our work more important than ever.

Parents whose children face extended hospital stays and medical treatment deal with a situation where life can quickly seem to spiral out of control. That’s why our work is so important.

For 35 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona has helped families by giving them a “home-away-from-home” while their child is under the care of a medical provider. We offer a comfortable and safe place to stay, nourishing meals, and a sense of stability in situations that are anything but.

We take care of the family so they can focus on taking care of their child.

RMHCCNAZ gives a family with a sick child what they need most — each other.

Because for a sick child, sometimes the best medicine of all is having family nearby for more hugs, more kisses, and more “I love you.”

The Lucero Family from Yuma, Arizona

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a place to call home For families like Nick and Lisa Dinsmore of Payson, Arizona, Ronald McDonald House affords them the chance to stay together while they go through the most stressful and scary time of their lives.

“He’s our little miracle boy.”

Thinking that they could not get pregnant, Nick and Lisa were ecstatic when they discovered they were having a baby. “He’s our little miracle boy,” Lisa said of son Logan. But Lisa was sick with preeclampsia during her pregnancy. For the health and safety of both mother and baby, Lisa had to deliver early.

Born at only 36 weeks with a hole in his heart, Logan was airlifted to Banner Children’s at Desert with Nick to receive life-saving medical care. Lisa had to stay behind to recover from the birth. Yet, Ronald McDonald House was there.

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Most people don’t think about the need for the services that Ronald McDonald House offers until they are at the worst point in their lives.

Until that moment, you don’t know that you need us. And it’s just then that we are there.

But it could happen to any of us. It could be you. It could be your neighbor. It could be anyone from all over the country or even the world – our guests come from everywhere to take care of their child.

Even in a global pandemic, children still need care. And they still need their family around them. And families need a place to stay. Food to eat. Time to decompress.

When you have enough stress to deal with, you shouldn’t have to worry about basic needs.

That’s what we do. We help families cope better and focus on the needs of their sick child.

The Mullenaux Family from Thatcher, Arizona

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Since November 2019, the Dinsmores have called the House “home” while they care for their baby Logan. Born at just 4 pounds, Logan isn’t ready for the life-saving surgery to repair his heart. He needs to build strength and gain weight first. A return trip home to Payson just is not an option for the family – the change in elevation is too much for little Logan to handle.

So, Nick and Lisa continue to wait, surrounded by comfort and love at Ronald McDonald House.“Being here is just wonderful,” said dad Nick. “There’s no other words that I can use other than wonderful and blessed. You guys have blessed us so much here.”

Nick’s sentiments are the “why” behind the work of Ronald McDonald House – the care the Dinsmores receive while at the House is what we are all about. It’s our mission. It’s the heart of the House.

2019 impact

1,454

families served

8

2,483

family visits

22,379

nights of rest

We are the only ones who do what we do.

Working in partnership with Phoenix Children’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Banner University Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, and Banner Children’s at Desert, our three Houses offer 78 guest rooms and apartments ready to house families who need to be near their hospitalized children.

Family is crucial to the healing process. But hospitals have to focus on the patient.

They’re not equipped to house families. Ronald McDonald House is the only viable option for families to have a place they can call home.

We’re close to the hospital, but we’re not just a place to sleep. Our Houses offer fully stocked kitchens and pantries, common areas, work desks, Wi-Fi, and outdoor play spaces. The House provides a sense of normalcy for families when nothing else seems normal. And unlike a hotel, our services are absolutely free.

Roanoke House, Cambridge House at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Dobson House at Banner Children’s at Desert

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an atmosphere of hope The atmosphere the House provides is something that has kept Nick and Lisa from dwelling on the stress of Logan’s medical issues. “As a parent, I hurt every night knowing my boy has a problem. It’s scary,” Nick said. “Love is the best doctor out there. The love you have given to our son and to us has really lifted us up. It has encouraged us to do more, not only for him, but for ourselves – emotionally and physically.”

“Love is the best doctor out there.

The love you have given to our son and to us has really lifted us up.”

The love that Nick talks about is what has left a lasting impression on the family, something that they can only describe as “above and beyond.” “It’s that agape love – the love that spreads beyond,” Nick said. “That’s what you do. You have that agape love for the families.”

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Because of the generosity of our donors, families pay nothing to support their stay at one of our Houses. We are completely donor funded. Without you, some of these families would have nowhere else to go – maybe even sleeping in their cars.

And now it’s time to get back to work.

During the COVID-19 shutdown, we were forced to operate at only about 30% capacity. But despite the threat of COVID-19, we were still there 24/7 for our guests But there are more families out there that need us.

So, even in a time of social distancing, we are planning a path forward. We are working closely with our hospital partners to ensure the health and welfare of the families we serve, as well as the dedicated team who is working tirelessly to keep daily operations running at our three Valley Houses.

We’re not rushing this. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world. Re-opening to full capacity may not happen tomorrow or even the day after. But we’re working smarter and harder behind the scenes to reduce the disruption in the lives of our families, to provide them with a safe, healthy “home-away-from-home.”

We remain an essential service in the healthcare supply chain to care for families.

Re-opening is delicate. Even though our day-to-day activities may have changed, at the end of the day, we will be there, providing families with a place to call home at the end of really hard days.

The Woody Family from Chinle, Arizona

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The House has been home for the family for over nine months.

Logan had his life-saving surgery in June of 2020 and is making incredible strides every day. Nick and Lisa know that because of the dedicated donors and supporters of Ronald McDonald House, the love they feel will always be there for them and every family who calls the House their “home-away-from-home.”

Nick is a constant source of laughter and joy when at the House.

He can be heard joking with staff while carrying little Logan in his arms. His smile is infectious, and that is in large part because he knows that Ronald McDonald House is there to care for his family so they can focus on Logan. “Knowing that you guys are here and, in a sense, holding us up — we’ve got all these hands on the back of us holding us up saying, ‘You guys have got this. You’re here. We’re going to help you. You’re going to succeed.’”

2019 impact

average stay

17 days 12

traveled from

15 counties

traveled from

35 states

The Rasmussen Family from Lake Havasu City, Arizona

“Ronald McDonald House helps give us normalcy for our family. I want them to have good memories of this time and of us being together as a family.”

- Stephanie, mom

The Gibney Family from Bouse, Arizona

“It was a relief to know that when I was discharged I had a place to come. I could literally walk over to the hospital with my mom for treatment every day.”

- Serenity, 16-years-old

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The Moreno Family from San Tan Valley, Arizona

“The House has given us security while she had to stay close to the hospital. It was a place where we could still be a family.”

- Blanca, mom

The Hemphill Family from Bullhead City, Arizona

“All you want for your family is stability. Ronald McDonald House provided some sort of stability through this madness.”

- Justin, dad

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In a perfect world, there would be no need for us. Unfortunately, children get sick.

They get injured. A child falls into a pool, endures another one of multiple surgeries, is injured in a car accident, or suffers a snake bite. Whatever the reason, we are here for your family. If your child requires long-term medical care, you want to be there, and you want to stay close by.

Donors to the 2020 Hearts and Hands campaign help ensure we never turn a family away when they need us. Every family, every night. A safe and comfortable place to sleep. A home cooked meal. A chance to do the mundane tasks – like laundry, watching TV, even homework. The families who stay with us have precious little they can bank on. Donor support means they can rely on us – even at the worst time of their lives.

Families that stay with us have already had their worlds turned upside down. Their lives are filled with stress and uncertainty. Now COVID-19 adds another threat that puts their children at an even greater risk. The stakes are high. It’s a scary time all around.

The 2020 Hearts and Hands Campaign is about taking care of families so they can take care of their children. We want to ensure they have one less thing to worry about.

A clean room. A warm meal. A quiet reprieve. A chance to recharge.

Hearts and Hands is our opportunity to give them all of that. You are providing families like the Dinsmores a home so they can focus on caring for Logan and his recovery.

Here’s what we’re asking you to do: We invite you to open your heart and lend a hand. Please consider joining us.

Your gift may be pledged over a 3-year period. Pledged commitments should be formalized and in writing. We also accept outright gifts via cash, checks, and credit card.

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Central & Northern Arizona

501 East Roanoke Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004 | 602-264-2654 | rmhccnaz.org /rmhcphoenix

@rmhcphoenix

@rmhcphoenix

/rmhcphoenix