St. Louis
OUR MISSION
To provide a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill children seeking medical treatment in a St. Louis-area hospital.
CORE PROGRAMS 2023
One of the worst things that can happen to a parent is to learn that their child is sick and needs to be hospitalized. Suddenly, life stops overnight and the world is full of worry and fear.
For many of these families, there is an added stress: distance. Sometimes the best medical care available is hundreds of miles - or more - from home. In addition, families face the financial demands of mounting medical bills, job insecurity and a healing journey that can take months or even years.
This is why Ronald McDonald Houses and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms exist: to keep families close to their seriously ill children.
RONALD McDONALD HOUSE®
• Three Houses and eight extended-stay apartments in St. Louis served as a home-away-from-home for 48 families of seriously ill children each night
• The Grove House is set to open in 2024
• Provides the comforts of home to more than 500 families in a typical year including private bedrooms, home-cooked meals, comfortable living areas, a kitchen and laundry facilities
• Open 24 hours a day, 365 days per year
RONALD McDONALD FAMILY ROOM®
• Four St. Louis-area Ronald McDonald Family Rooms serve as an oasis inside Mercy Children’s Hospital (2), St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
• Provides comfort and care to thousands of families annually - that's over 49,000+ visitors
• Each Family Room is equipped with a kitchen area, complimentary snacks and coffee, showers, laundry facilities, Internet and TV
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
In many ways, 2023 was no different than prior years at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis because the pronounced need for a Home Away from Home at Ronald McDonald Houses, and a place of respite in Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, is constant. 2023 was different only because of the great strides our St. Louis Chapter made toward increasing our provision of comforts to the families using our services – most starkly, having a crew on site every day of 2023 to build a new 72 bedroom House at 4321 Chouteau. It will replace our beloved Park Avenue and West Pine Houses in the city of St. Louis. Together with our West County house, our capacity will increases from 59 to 92 rooms. Our 2023 strides will reduce the waiting list for families seeking a Home Away from Home while their child or children receive medical services at one of St. Louis’ incredible pediatric hospitals.
The other notable change in 2023 was the anticipation of our President and CEO Dan Harbaugh’s thirtieth anniversary leading this great organization. Dan demanded a humble celebration on the official anniversary, January 20, 2024. Never fear, however, with his announcement of retirement at the end of 2024, plans to find a competent and compassionate next leader and grand celebrations are in the works.
For those who know Dan, he is not a numbers man, but his enthusiasm, relationship-based approach, and focus moved our finances into an incredible position in 2023. We neared $7M in operating revenue for the first time in the organization’s history. As Dan often says, our families deserve the best, and the donors who answered Dan’s and his staff’s requests for support in 2023 gave the families just that.
An important lesson Dan reminded me of in 2023 is that resilience brings reward. 2023 presented challenges in many ways, with staff changes and health issues stealing everyone’s attention, but as Board Chair, I watched Dan, the staff, and our 26 volunteer Board Members stay focused and positive. At the same time, two Past Board Chairs led the major accomplishments I mentioned above: Steve Hays leading our Construction Committee and Jeff Barone leading our Succession Committee. Similarly, we know that much grief takes place within the walls of the Houses and the Family Rooms, with childhoods interrupted by illness and families under great stress, but our families are resilient. I can proudly report that in 2023, resilience and success prevailed for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis.
With gratitude,
Bridget Hoy Beardsley Board Chair
2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIR
BRIDGET HOY BEARDSLEY
VICE CHAIR
CHRIS GIARLA
TREASURER
KAREN BAER
SECRETARY
DAVE TORNETTO
DANA BACICH
BRAD BEIGLE
STEVE BESHORE
NORA BLACK
DR. MARY MICHAELEEN CRADOCK
KYLE DARNELL
GREG DIEKEMPER
CULLY EISENBEIS
JOAN ELHOFFER
BEVERLY GARNER
MARK HEFFERNAN
DAN HEGGER
SCOTT KARCHUNAS
SIRUS KARIMI
RYAN KURYLA
APRIL LOPINOT
STEVE MALTER
DR. PHINEAS OREN
ELLYN ROSENBLUM
STEVE RUESCHHOFF
NOLAN RUIZ
DANNA STONE
PROGRESS IN SIGHT
The Grove Ronald McDonald House came to life in 2023. In February 2023, the foundation of the four-story building was set, the elevator bays were built, and the first walls were erected. By June, the framing for the Family Suites began, and the floor slab for the commercial kitchen and dining rooms was completed.
On August 8 and 17 2023, Capital Campaign donors and RMHC staff had the opportunity to sign the elevator shaft, a significant moment commemorating the building of this facility. Chef Matt prepared several lunches for the construction workers throughout the year, fostering a sense of community. Meanwhile, the team could recognize the outline of the lobby, and on the third-floor the patio foundation was poured. In August, we saw the north entrance come alive with the framing of floor-to-ceiling windows and the place for our front door. The building's dining room and kitchen walls came together while insulation and drywall went up in the Family Suites on the west side, marking significant progress in the interior.
To mark the end of the year, we hosted the Sneak Peek event on December 11, 2023. This open-house-style event was a celebration of one year of progress since the Groundbreaking ceremony. It was a unique opportunity for friends of the House to witness the incredible transformation and get a glimpse of what was to come in the next year through our displayed renderings. The event was a resounding success, with guided tours of the Grove House and a palpable sense of anticipation as visitors were able to visualize how the house would look, fostering a sense of excitement for the future.
During the construction of the House, the Capital Campaign Committee was tirelessly working to secure the campaign's financial needs. The campaign ended with an impressive total of over $34 million raised, a remarkable achievement that reflects the community's unwavering support and belief in our cause. We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of all involved, which has been instrumental in making our vision a reality.
CAPITAL
2023 FINANCIAL REPORT
Support and Revenue
$848,750
$2,906,065
$2,598,178
$86,177
$80,823
$432,023
$6,952,016*
Expenses
$5,700,982 $26,528,186 $5,119,473 $559,406 $6,492,722 $44,400,769
2023 VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHTS
19,350 HOURS OF RECORDED WORK*
$615,330
TOTAL VALUE OF HOURS WORKED
789 MEALS WERE PROVIDED BY OUR GENEROUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS
ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS
900
*Hours reflect House, Family Room, Committee and Special Event volunteer hours, and do not include the numerous hours spent by our dedicated Meals from the Heart program or Service Group volunteers.
CIGNA
Vianney
High School
Red Shoe Society Super Joey Foundation
MEET THE PICKETT FAMILY
Ashlee and Kyle found a home-away-from-home at Ronald McDonald House.
In November 2023, at 25 weeks pregnant, Ashlee Pickett and her husband Kyle learned that their twin daughters were considered Monoamniotic twins, known as Mono Mono, during a routine checkup. This type of pregnancy occurs when twins are identical and share a placenta and an amniotic sac, a rare and high-risk pregnancy. By the end of the month, on November 21, Skyler and Isla Pickett were born at just 28 weeks and shortly after transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Mercy Hospital.
For the next 30 days, while the twins were growing stronger in the NICU, Ashlee and Kyle traveled back and forth to their home in Hannibal, Missouri. The 116-mile commute began taking a toll on the family. Thankfully, the Ronald McDonald House had a room available for them to stay near their girls.
“After delivery, we traveled back and forth until a room was available at the Ronald McDonald House. This became exhausting and expensive. RMHC was one of the biggest blessings during one of the hardest times in our lives; I don’t think a day went by that I wasn’t extremely grateful for everything the House had to offer,” Ashlee said. “Being able to have a fiveminute walk from the Ronald McDonald House to the Hospital just meant that I could spend as much time with them as I could, and that meant the world to me.”
Isla and Skylar are now resilient toddlers who are flourishing to show their families what they are capable of.
“They definitely have their own personalities. Skylar is calmer while Isla is more feisty out of the two, but overall, they are starting to smile and show you their little facial expression, so it’s just incredible to watch them change every day,” Ashlee said.
IN OUR THREE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSES
16,837 ROOM NIGHTS AVAILABLE
15,259 ROOM NIGHTS OCCUPIED
91%
AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY OCCUPANCY RATE
29 DAYS
465
FAMILIES RECEIVED LOW- OR NO-COST HOUSING
76%
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ( TWO FAMILY ROOMS )
19,230
CHECK-INS
24,182
VISITORS RONALD MCDONALD FAMILY ROOM
LOUIS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
11,059 15,789
VISITORS
HEALTH CARDINAL
7,410
9,270
VISITORS
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF FAMILIES SERVED WERE FROM MISSOURI OR ILLINOIS
25% OF FAMILIES HAD INFANTS IN A NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
FAMILIES FROM 12 MEDICAL CENTERS WERE SERVED BY RMHC ST. LOUIS
49,241 TOTAL VISITORS TO THE FOUR ST. LOUIS-AREA RONALD MCDONALD FAMILY ROOMS FAMILY CHECK-INS
Total Donations from Customers
Round-Up for RMHC
Canister Program
Penny for a Happy Meal
Seasonal Fundraisers
2023 PARTNERSHIP WITH MCDONALD'S
McDonald’s is Ronald McDonald House Charities founding and forever partner. Local St. Louis Owner/Operators have supported RMHC St. Louis since our doors opened in 1981. In St. Louis, McDonald’s customers can support RMHC St. Louis by donating loose change, purchasing a Happy Meal, and saying “Yes!” to rounding up their total to the nearest dollar at the counter, kiosk, or drive-thru. In 2023, thanks to St. Louis area McDonald’s customers, RMHC St. Louis led the US in most funds raised through Round-Up for RMHC program.
150
NUMBER OF STORES IN OUR LOCAL MCDONALD'S CO-OP
70%
LOCAL MCDONALD'S STORES RAISED AN AVERAGE OF $1,000 OR MORE EVERY MONTH IN 2023
OVERALL RUNNING TOTAL OF ROUND-UP FOR RMHC DONATIONS SINCE 2019
20
TOTAL NUMBER OF OWNER/ OPERATORS IN OUR LOCAL CO-OP
3
NUMBER OF OWNER/ OPERATORS WHO HAVE RAISED MORE THAN $1M THROUGH THE ROUNDUP FOR RMHC PROGRAM
$8,782,551
LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO
As Bridget stated, 2023 was no different than previous years regarding the growing need for our services. What was also no different was the way our volunteers, donors, board members and friends carried us through another record-breaking year in so many areas.
At the end of the year, our efforts on the Capital Campaign and reaching $34 million to open the House debt-free are close to becoming a reality. We are confident this significant goal will happen.
Once again, the Round-Up for RMHC program through McDonald’s is absolutely incredible. The St. Louis market leads all other markets by a 3-1 ratio in that we generated over $3.1 million dollars in 2023. This is just amazing! We are so fortunate to have the best Co-Op of owners in St. Louis and all their crews in the stores who execute the program daily, the ones who make it happen.
Our special events all achieved a record-breaking year in 2023. We have spent a great deal of time in 2023 on a “Family Room Awareness Campaign.” Our Family Rooms have been a great extension of our services to families.
We look forward to another exciting and special year as we move into our new House. Thanks for your awesome friendship and support
Always grateful,
Dan Harbaugh
Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis President & CEO
RMHC ST. LOUIS STAFF
DAN HARBAUGH, PRESIDENT & CEO
CHERI WUERTZ, VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE
ELIZABETH KAUL, VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT
ERIC EILER, VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS
JUDY SCHULER, OPERATIONS CONSULTANT
ALISON KASPAR, DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES
PAT NEWBY, DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION
JACOB MCGUIRE, DIRECTOR, FACILITIES
RYAN CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR, HOUSE OPERATIONS
COURTNEY FISCHER, DIRECTOR, FAMILY ROOM PROGRAM
MATT BORCHARDT, CHEF
MICHELLE BURMANN, SENIOR MANAGER, FINANCE
JANE FOERSTEL, FAMILY SERVICES MANAGER
DARA MARKUS, DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
MCKENNA BUNJAN, VOLUNTEER MANAGER
KATIE NIMTZ, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
TRACEY REYNOLDS, PROJECT MANAGER
BOB HEBRANK, EVENT MANAGER
SARAH IBA, ASSISTANT FAMILY SERVICES MANAGER
PETE TOLPA, ASSISTANT FAMILY SERVICES MANAGER
JORDAN LANGLEY, ASSISTANT FAMILY SERVICES MANAGER
CIERRA WEST, ASSISTANT FAMILY ROOM MANAGER
COURTNEY BRADSHAW, FAMILY ROOM PROGRAM COORDINATOR
MEREDITH SIEGFRIED, CORPORATE & FOUNDATION
RELATIONS COORDINATOR
BARB JARVIS, FINANCE COORDINATOR
MIYA ANDREWS, MARKETING COORDINATOR
HOLLY AHAUS, DATA COORDINATOR
CHANDRA PIPER, HR ASSISTANT
JAMES PATTERSON, CHEF ASSISTANT
TRAVIS BROWN, FAMILY CARE SPECIALIST
SUSAN PECK, FAMILY ROOM ASSOCIATE
TEDRA MARTIN, FAMILY ROOM ASSOCIATE
JOY TATE, HOUSEKEEPER
VICKI RUCKMAN, HOUSEKEEPER
WEST COUNTY HOUSE
300 Ronald McDonald House Ln.
St. Louis, MO 63141
314-485-0300
Current Location
GROVE HOUSE
4321 Chouteau Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-773-1100
Current Location
PARK AVENUE HOUSE
3450 Park Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63104
Previous Location
WEST PINE HOUSE
4381 West Pine Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
Previous Location
St. Louis