Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana

House Guests

How Can I Stay?

To qualify to stay at a Ronald McDonald House, you must be a parent/legal guardian who:

  • Has a child 21 years or younger being treated at a Chicago area hospital
  • Lives more than 10 miles from the hospital where the child is being treated


If you meet these qualifications, take the next steps:

  • Get a referral - Contact your child's assigned hospital case manager/social worker for a referral. The social worker will talk to you about the House and ask you some questions to make sure it is a good fit for you.
  • Submit a referral – The social worker will then call the Ronald McDonald House to put in your referral.
  • Returning families- If you have stayed at our House within the past year, you may call the House directly to be put on the list for a room.
  • Check availability - Because we are unable to take reservations, call the day before you plan to arrive to find out if there is a room available for you. If one is not available, we will keep you on a wait list and contact you as soon as a room becomes available.

Important things to know:

  • We are unable to take reservations because we never know how long a child may need to be in the hospital.
  • Families are admitted as availability permits.
  • The Ronald McDonald House provides each family with a private, secured bedroom.  The families share a variety of common areas (kitchen, living, laundry) with the others in the House.
  • Patients under the age of 18 must be accompanied by their legal guardian at all times.
  • The number of family members who can stay in the House is dependent on the size of the room available. Most of our rooms accommodate 3-4 people. The number of people you plan to have stay is one of the questions your social worker will ask you in making the referral.
  • We suggest a donation of $10 per night, however, no family is ever turned away if they are unable to pay.
  • The buildings of our Houses are completely smoke free.
  • Families are asked to maintain the cleanliness of their room and wash their towels and sheets before checkout.
  • Families actively share in keeping the House clean and tidy.
  • Families must be respectful of the other families staying at the House who are equally concerned about the well-being of their own children.
  • Families need to check in during daytime office hours (usually 9 am to 8 pm). Once they are registered guests, they may come and go as they please.
 
 

© 2009 - 2010 Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana — all rights reserved