House Guest Shares Her Story at Dedication

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE RECIEVES $70,000 GRANT THROUGH SUPERVISORS COX/ROBERTS
NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT PROGRAM

Funds will build a vehicle turnout at new House for families with sick children

(SAN DIEGO) (May 13, 2010) –Thanks to a $70,000 grant from the County Neighborhood Reinvestment Program recommended by Supervisors Greg Cox and Ron Roberts, families and delivery trucks will now have a safe place to load and unload in front of the new Ronald McDonald House of San Diego on Children’s Way, it was announced today at a press conference held on the site of the future turnout.  The grant will fund a new ADA ramp, as well as a vehicle turnout in front of the House that serves families with seriously ill children in the hospital.

Since the new Ronald McDonald House was built on top of a parking garage across from Rady Children’s Hospital, a common practice has been for guests, taxis and delivery truck drivers to double park on Children’s Way for easy entry into the House. With the new vehicle turnout, accessibility to the House will be greatly improved and driver and vehicle safety will no longer be compromised.

Constructed by Barnhart Balfour Beatty, the turnout will be completed in August.     

“This new turnout will ensure the safety of thousands of families who rely on Ronald McDonald House while their child is getting treatment at the hospital,” said Bill Lennartz, president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House of San Diego. “We are grateful to Supervisors Cox and Roberts for making it much easier for families as well as generous donors to access the House.”

As the County of San Diego’s representative for the Serra Mesa community, Supervisor Roberts said the turnout is part of a series of projects that are improving traffic circulation and parking conditions in the area. “What makes this project so appealing is the benefit it provides both to the caregivers using the Ronald McDonald House services and to those who live in the surrounding neighborhoods,” Roberts said.

The Neighborhood Reinvestment Program provides grant funds to County departments, public agencies, and to non-profit community organizations for one-time community, social, environmental, educational, cultural or recreational needs.

“This neighborhood reinvestment program fits naturally with the County’s strategic initiative of improving opportunities for children and families,” said Supervisor Greg Cox.

The new vehicle turnout will also include an ADA ramp that will enhance accessibility for the mobility challenged as well as parents pushing strollers.   In addition, the turnout will support families at the new Rady Children’s Hospital Acute Care Pavilion, set to open in October of 2010.

"This new turnabout is a great idea and a valuable convenience, given that traffic is expected to increase in October when we open our new Acute Care Pavilion across from the Ronald McDonald House," said Tim Jacoby, vice-president of Facilities and Planning at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego.  "We want to add our sincere thanks to Supervisors Cox and Roberts for their financial support for this endeavor.”

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego

For 30 years, San Diego’s RMHC has provided more than 140,000 nights of lodging for 14,000 families whose children face life-threatening illnesses and are receiving treatment at area hospitals.  With the opening of the new House located atop a six-story parking garage across from Rady Children’s Hospital, the new 47- bedroom Ronald McDonald House quadruples the size of the old 12 -bedroom House. It features a new Family Care Center that is open daily to anyone with a child in an area hospital and will serve the needs of 20,000 families each year. The Center offers dining services, a computer lab, arts and crafts room, children’s play room, teen center, play yard, faith room, outdoor play areas, laundry, day resting rooms and shower facilities.

            RMHC is a 501(C) (3) non-profit that receives 10 percent of its funding from local McDonald’s Restaurant owners and operators. The remaining 90 percent needed to operate the house and serve families must be raised through donations from individuals and campaigns. For more information, go to www.rmhcsd.org.

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