Ronald McDonald House Charities of Denver

Background Statement

The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974, offering families traveling for their child’s medical care a comforting place to stay. Co-founded by pediatric oncologist Dr. Audrey Evans, the House was rooted in a simple but powerful belief: when a child is sick, supporting the entire family is essential.

Just two years later, leaders at Children’s Hospital Colorado, together with McDonald’s Owners in Denver and Wyoming, brought that vision to our state.

In 1979, Ronald McDonald House of Denver opened its doors in a historic mansion just east of downtown. As only the third House in the world, it welcomed more than 17,000 families over two decades. With just 12 bedrooms, however, demand quickly outpaced capacity.

To ensure families would have the space they needed, our Board of Directors built a new, larger House beside Children’s Hospital Colorado in 1999. The new House more than doubled our capacity, allowing 31 families to stay each night.

As Colorado’s medical community grew and with the relocation of Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado Hospital to the Fitzsimons Medical Campus we again expanded to meet families’ needs. In 2008, we opened the 45-room Aurora Ronald McDonald House near the new campus. And in 2016, a 44-room expansion to the Denver House increased our total capacity. Today, we can welcome up to 118 families each night.

Our programs have grown right alongside our Houses. Recognizing the importance of a warm, nourishing meal, we expanded our volunteer-driven meal program into a daily commitment. With the addition of three chefs and two culinary managers, we now ensure families have access to a hot meal every single day.

We also operate the Ronald McDonald Family Room inside HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children's at PSL. It's a quiet space just steps from the patient’s bedside that offers meals, laundry facilities, and a place to rest and regroup. The Family Room serves all families with a child receiving care at the hospital.

For over 45 years, RMHC-Denver has stood beside families during their most challenging moments by offering comfort, stability and community when it matters most.