Its Beginning

It started with “the House that Love Built”®.  The first Ronald McDonald House® was opened in Philadelphia in 1974; When Philadelphia Eagles tight end Fred Hill’s 3-year-old daughter, Kim, was being treated for leukemia in 1974, his life changed. He and his wife, Fran, camped out on hospital benches and sat in cramped waiting rooms during Kim’s three years of treatment. The Hills watched other parents and families of seriously ill children do the same thing. Many of the families had to travel long distances for their children to receive medical treatment and couldn’t afford hotel rooms. The Hills knew there had to be a solution. Fred rallied the support of his teammates and the local McDonald’s and through fundraising and the generosity of donation the first house was built.

Our Start

Due to the overwhelming success of Ronald McDonald Houses nationwide, Ronald McDonald House Charities was formed in 1984, to meet a broader base of children’s needs.  Through the combined efforts of the Junior League of Fresno and the owner-operators of the Central Valley McDonald’s® Restaurants, plus the generosity of the community, the Central Valley Ronald McDonald House became the fourth in California. Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Central Valley, Inc. began in 1984.  On February 14, 2001 the current Central Valley Ronald McDonald House opened next to Children’s Hospital Central California in order to remain close to the hospital and effective for families.

Where We Are Today

Our 22,000 sq. ft. current house accommodates 18 families each night. We are adjacent to Children’s Hospital Central California, but serve any family with a child 21 or younger treated at any Valley Medical Institution.