About Ronald McDonald House Charities® Alberta

Ronald McDonald House Charities® Alberta supports families seeking vital medical treatment for their seriously sick or injured child. Our warm, compassionate Houses provide a home-away-from-home for families who need to travel for medical reasons. When those families are experiencing one of life’s most difficult times, we offer them the gift of togetherness.

Since the first Houses were built in Alberta in 1985, we have supported tens of thousands of families. Every year, thousands will stay at one of Alberta’s Ronald McDonald Houses. These stays can last up to a few nights, or as long as several weeks or months at a time.

Each Ronald McDonald House has private family suites for families to rest. The Houses have open kitchens where families can sit down and share experiences over a homemade meal. The sense of community enables families to rely on each other and shore up strength.

Almost 70% of Canadian families live outside of a community with a children’s hospital, meaning they will need to travel to access medical care. Ronald McDonald Houses save families millions of dollars each year on accommodation, transportation, meals, laundry, parking, and more. Having a Ronald McDonald House close to a hospital in Alberta is an important part of family-centred care.

RMHC Alberta serves families largely from across the province, from almost 300 Albertan communities. From Wood Buffalo to Lethbridge, and Grande Prairie to Lloydminster, families come from all corners and corridors of Alberta to stay at a Ronald McDonald House.

Who do we serve? Click the links below to see our impact statistics from previous years.

Calgary: 32 suites, open 1985
Edmonton: 38 suites, open 1985
Red Deer: 11 suites, open 2012
Medicine Hat: 6 suites, open 2020

Impact of RMHC Alberta for Families:

Annually, families save $8,500,000 by staying at RMHC Alberta. The financial burdens of travelling for pediatric care can be devastating to families long after their medical journey. RMHC Alberta provides accommodation, meals, transportation and many other resources and supports to families with sick or injured children. Learn more about the significant financial savings for families in the link below.

Serving More Families:

Currently RMHC Alberta serves only 14% of the need due to capacity. A recent CIHI study indicated that nearly 9 out of 10 families travelling for pediatric care are not able to access a family suite on the day they need it. Find out how we are transforming to meet the need through THE BIG BUILD and tripling the capacity of RMHC Alberta.

Want to know how RMHC impacts families across Canada?


Mission

Ronald McDonald House Charities® Alberta’s programming and accommodations provide a home-away-from-home for any family with a sick or injured child.

Vision

A supportive and caring environment enabling all families with a sick or injured child to access healthcare.

Values

Passionate
Excellence
Entrepreneurial
Relentless
People-First

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural safety are guiding principles at RMHC Alberta. We recognize the ongoing need to ensure DEI is reflected in our day-to-day activities; to champion continuous learning for staff, volunteers and the board; to create policies and practices that support DEI; and to find ways to measure our progress and continually improve.

Comfort Cart


Offering complimentary snacks, drinks, toys, hygiene items, and more, the Comfort Cart is a volunteer-run hospitality cart in partnership with Alberta Health Services (AHS) that brings the comforts of the Ronald McDonald House® to families spending long days at the hospital with their sick or injured child. For information about volunteering with the Comfort Cart, please visit RMHC Alberta’s volunteer page.