Around the House

Thanks for a great Red Shoe Day, Imperial Valley! 700+ volunteers lined streets throughout Imperial County on October 11 to collect funds in support of San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House through #RedShoeDayIV. Our House has a special relationship with the region, as 25% of our Ronald McDonald House families travel from the Valley to access pediatric acute care here in San Diego. We are grateful for …

-Watch Video- Families recently had a gourmet dining experience thanks to celebrity chef Brian Malarkey of Herb & Wood and many other endeavors. Take a look at the chef and his team in action in the video above, introduced by RMHC-San Diego president & CEO Chuck Day. Herb & Wood has been named the Best of the Best of San Diego by San Diego Magazine as well one of OpenTable’s Top 100 Be …

She’s been the heart behind the birthday wishes, inscribing greeting cards with her neat handwriting. Now she’s retiring after an incredible 18 years with our Ronald McDonald House. Ocean Beach resident Timmie Baird began volunteering as a way to say thanks for the care her grand-nephew received after his cancer diagnosis. Timmie was hands-on at the original House, gardening, scrubbing floors, mak …

Day of Joy/Día de Alegría was launched in 2013 with a dream to build a bridge between leading Latinas in the San Diego community and the Hispanic families served by San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House. Now in its sixth year, this exclusive event relies on the generosity and leadership of Ambassador Hosts to invite ladies from both sides of the border to join together in raising vital funds in suppor …

Matthew Hernandez was one of too many children lost to childhood leukemia in the 1970s. His parents were grief-stricken, yet driven to create something lasting and positive for the future. Together they formed a group that helped other families with children facing a medical crisis. What started as a support group in 1976 gave birth to Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego.  Four decades la …

Thank you San Diego, for a great 2018 Red Shoe Day! On June 21, 1,500 volunteers across the county collected donations in yellow canisters and big red shoes for San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House. It was a truly inspiring day of volunteering and giving to help families stay close to their hospitalized children. Generous sponsors and individuals gave more than $225,000 for San Diego’s Ronald McDonal …

Shana & Carlos Sanguinetti, Jen & Matt Teeter We are so thankful to have friends like these! For seven years, longtime friends Matt Teeter and Carlos Sanguinetti have held an annual fundraising event, “Dinner with Friends,” to raise awareness and support for families with critically ill children. This year’s circus-themed event brought together more than 300 people at our House for dinner, …

Twice a week, San Marcos retiree Richard Ellis heads to our Ronald McDonald House to begin his morning shift as a volunteer driver. He laughs, “If it’s good for my wife, it’s good for me.” But it’s more than that. His daughter volunteered at the Tennessee Ronald McDonald House, and three years ago, she passed away. Talking with her fellow volunteers gave him the idea of seeing what he might do bac …

ROMP attendees are still basking in the good feelings of ROMP: Aloha, our gala celebrating the spirit of ‘ohana, “family.” More than 350 guests enjoyed an evening of island-themed delights at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in September. The event included the grand prize drawing of the Hoehn Motors Mercedes-Benz Raffle. Supporters of the ROMP and the raffle raised more than $800,000 in net proceeds th …

Once a month, engineer Mai Bui uses her lunch break for grocery shopping—not for her family of four, but for 150 people at San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House. The next evening, she and a dozen or more volunteers prepare fresh, healthy suppers for families who are taking a break in the care of their hospitalized children. Mai is the founder of International Compassion Charities, a nonprofit that fir …