Our Story
The Ronald McDonald House was built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on healing their children – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal, or where they will lay their head at night to rest. Since 1982, Ronald McDonald House Maryland has been doing exactly that, welcoming more than 50,000 families to our “home-away-from-home,” when they have needed it most.
The initial Ronald McDonald House Maryland was the labor of love of a small group of dedicated volunteers and our McDonald’s partners. Located on land granted from the University of Maryland Medical System, the original house opened on June 28, 1982.
Since the initial house opened, Ronald McDonald House Maryland has gone through 3 major expansions. In 1982, the house was expanded to serve 34 families. In 2015, we changed our name from Ronald McDonald House Charities Baltimore to Ronald McDonald House Charities Maryland to reflect our geographic impact in the region. In 2016, Ronald McDonald House Maryland launched an ambitious campaign to build a brand-new house that would double our capacity. In 2019, our $35 million, 60,000 sq foot house opened on Aisquith Street in downtown Baltimore. Thanks to the generosity of so many, including a $5 million grant, the largest single gift ever received from the Weinberg Foundation, we are able to serve more than 2,400 families annually.
Ronald McDonald House Maryland is able to keep families close to the hospital and close to each other, thanks to the Maryland community that has supported and sustained us from day 1.
