What we do
When families live too far from the hospital to commute, Ronald McDonald House Ottawa is here to provide a warm, comfortable “home away from home,” just steps from CHEO. By removing the financial burden of hotel stays—often needed for weeks, months, and in some cases years—we help families focus on what matters most: their child.
Our recent building expansion added 22 new bedroom suites to our existing 14, giving us a total of 36 private suites. This will allow us to support all families from across Eastern Ontario, Quebec, and Nunavut. Along with a comfortable place to stay, families can enjoy a hot cup of coffee, several free meals through our volunteer-led Home for Dinner program, as well as convenient grab-and-go snacks for their trips to and from the hospital.
The new expansion now offers a second kitchen for all the families, multiple laundry rooms, a fitness centre, a teen games room, several quiet spaces, multiple TV rooms, a spacious children’s playroom, and family-focused programming designed to make their stay feel like home.
Inside the hospital, we offer 2 Ronald McDonald House Family Rooms, providing laundry facilities, free coffee and snacks, comfortable seating, a shower, and even sleep rooms located right beside the Intensive Care Unit. These welcoming spaces are open to all families in the hospital, ensuring we can support both our local community and those who have traveled from farther away.
How you can help
Community donations are what keeps Ronald McDonald House Ottawa running. Every donation helps provide families with a comfortable place to stay and the peace of mind to focus on their child’s care. While staying with us, families avoid the high cost of accommodations, parking and many meals. We saved families more than $2.1 million in out-of-pocket expenses in 2024 alone.
We believe no family should have to choose between being there for their child and having a place to stay.
A donation to Ronald McDonald House gives them more than just a room. It gives families rest. Warmth. A hot meal. It gives them something that feels like normal, even when nothing else is.
www.ronaldmcdonaldhouseottawa.ca
This article first appeared in the 2025 Giving Guide produced by the Ottawa Business Journal. That publication is available in its digital edition below.
To learn more about this charity, please visit the latest issue of the Giving Guide:
