On October 1 the Central Oregon Chapter of Ronald McDonald House Charities joined forces with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and Southwest Washington to become a unified, statewide organization. With three beautiful Ronald McDonald Houses in Bend, East Portland, and SW Portland – the 32-year-old non-profit can now offer a “home away from home” to as many as 56 seriously ill children and their families every night.
By joining forces across the state, the hope is to strengthen awareness of programs in order to reach and support more seriously ill children and families than ever before. In Bend, the beautiful 6-room lodge style Ronald McDonald House will continue to benefit from hundreds of local volunteers and supporters while gaining access to new statewide partners and programs to deepen services and support for every family that comes to stay while their child is hospitalized at St. Charles Medical Center.
The newly unified organization continues to be governed by a statewide Board of Trustees, which now includes St. Charles Medical Center’s Sara Mosher, MidOregon Credit Union’s Dena Driskill, Bend McDonald’s Owner/Operator Mick Bittler and former Central Oregon Chapter Board Chair John Francis.
Following the unification, Cascade Relays CEO, Scott Douglass and former guest family member Becky Joye have recently launched Ronald McDonald House Charities’ Bend Leadership Board to guide local fundraising, awareness and program development efforts to direct support to Central Oregon’s hospitalized children and families.
“We are thrilled to be in the position to raise funds and awareness for our local Ronald McDonald House! When my son was born prematurely and faced serious medical complications, the Ronald McDonald House was there for my family – keeping us close while my son gained strength and got healthy,” said Becky Joye.
“As a new dad and local business leader, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to expand awareness and support of our nearly 20 year-old Bend Ronald McDonald House and engage more community partners, volunteers and donors than ever before to ensure that families whose children are hospitalized locally, get the housing and support that they need while their children heal,” noted Scott Douglass.
To learn more about the newly unified Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and Southwest Washington or to get involved at any of Oregon’s three beautiful Ronald McDonald Houses, please visit the brand new website at RMHCOregon.org. For media inquiries, please contact Jessica Miller, CEO 971-230-6701 or jessica.miller@rmhcoregon.org or Scott Douglass, Co-Founder Bend Leadership Board, 541-350-4635 or scott@cascaderelays.com.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and Southwest Washington® provides a “home away from home” for families with seriously ill children, and supports initiatives to improve pediatric health. For more than three decades, our dedicated staff and volunteers have offered comfort and support, a well-stocked kitchen and a warm bed to more than 34,000 families. To accomplish this, we rely on the generosity of donors, community partners and the hundreds of volunteers who selflessly give to our organization every year. For more information, visit www.rmhcoregon.org.
