Who We Are
RMHC Global
Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC) creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children worldwide.
Ronald McDonald House Charities is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization with more than 180 local Chapters currently operating in nearly 52 countries. Each local Ronald 
McDonald House® Charities Chapter is a separate public charity, operated by a local Board of Directors. In addition to its cornerstone Ronald McDonald House program, the Chapters support a variety of other programs, which may include a Ronald McDonald Family Room, a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® or scholarships.
Ronald McDonald House Charities also awards grants to other organizations that directly improve the health and well being of children. To date, Ronald McDonald House Charities’ national body and global network of local Chapters have awarded more than US$400 million in grants to children's programs worldwide.
The McDonald’s® Partnership
The partnership between McDonald’s Corporation and Ronald McDonald House Charities and its programs dates back to the inception of the charitable organization. When an unlikely partnership was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1974 between an NFL team, a children's hospital and McDonald’s, none of its members could have imagined that their dream of a “home-away-from-home” for families of seriously ill children would grow to become an international phenomenon. They simply wanted to create a place where parents of sick children could be with others who could provide emotional support.
Today, one can find support and participation from McDonald’s Corporation, its franchisees, crew members, suppliers and business partners at every level of the Charity’s activity – U.S., International, corporate, regional and local. Members of the McDonald’s Family serve as volunteers on the Boards and committees of the local Chapters, working along side other members of their community. Together they tackle the challenges of operating a public charity – raising necessary funds and awareness and delivering program services to children and their families.
To generate funds for the local Chapters and their programs, franchisees and the Corporation leverage their considerable resources to implement worldwide, national and local promotions. Collectively, they utilize their restaurants, advertising dollars, packaging, and crew to create customer awareness and support. In-store events involving food promotions result in a direct financial contribution from the Corporation, its franchisees and the general public. These promotions have raised literally millions and millions of dollars to help the Charity fulfill its mission.
In addition to in-store fundraising efforts, McDonald’s franchisees sponsor many of the local events, such as golf tournaments and galas held within the community. These events provide critical support, as each local Chapter relies on volunteers and donors for much of the funds and staffing necessary for operations. Local Co-ops, the body of local McDonald’s franchisees, use their stores and media partnerships to create greater awareness of the needs of children in their community, and address these needs through their support of Ronald McDonald House Charities and its programs.
McDonald’s Corporation supports in part the general and administrative costs of Ronald McDonald House Charities’ global office, including free use of facilities, equipment and materials. Their support also helps to defray certain costs that the Charity would otherwise incur to conduct fundraising activities and deliver program services. Corporate offices in countries outside of the United States also support the costs of their national Ronald McDonald House Charities offices.
Additionally, local Chapters can directly access help from McDonald’s corporate, division and regional employees, in areas such as, legal, tax, accounting, safety and security, human resources, communications, marketing, and facility construction and maintenance.
The McDonald’s family has always been there, and continues to extend its support and resources to the growing Ronald McDonald House Charities system.