History

The first Ronald McDonald House opened in October 1974, as the result of the perseverance and dedication of Fred Hill, a former Philadelphia Eagles football player. After Hill's daughter Kim was treated for Leukemia, he and his teammates were determined to do something to benefit families of hospitalized children. A joint effort by the Eagles and Philadelphia area McDonald's restaurant owners raised enough money to build the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, PA.

The Long Island House is the 100th Ronald McDonald House in the world. There are 277 Ronald McDonald House programs around the world in 31 countries - 161 of which are in the United States. Each is a not-for-profit, 501 (c) 3 organization operated by an independent volunteer Board of Directors.

The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island is a 42 bedroom facility located on the campus of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, adjacent to Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park. The House is situated on 3/4 of an acre donated by the Board of Trustees of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. The 44,000 square foot facility includes 42 bedrooms, each with a private bath, children's play areas both inside and outdoors, a library, eight kitchen stations, two Kosher kitchens, a fully stocked food pantry, five laundry rooms and a Great Room where the families can socialize or watch television. For more privacy, there is a small TV room on the 2nd floor and an additional main floor lounge that is perfect for quiet activities.

The House is staffed by nine full-time employees: President, Director of Finance and Operations, Resident Manager, Fundraising and Special Events Manager, Program Manager, Executive Assistant and 3 Housekeepers.

The staff is assisted by a number of part time employees and by a dedicated group of 120 volunteers from the local community who do the bulk of the administrative tasks, greeting visitors, answering telephones and providing transportation for the families.