In 1973, Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill and his wife, Fran, faced every parent’s worst fear when their daughter, Kim, was diagnosed with leukemia. During her treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), they met countless families traveling long distances to care for their sick children—families sleeping in waiting room chairs and relying on vending machines because they had nowhere else to stay.
Determined to change that, Dr. Audrey Evans, a visionary pediatric oncologist at CHOP met Fred and Fran and together they partnered with the Philadelphia Eagles and McDonald’s, to create a place where families could stay together during a child’s medical journey. Through community support and proceeds from Shamrock Shake sales, the first Ronald McDonald House opened in 1974 near CHOP.
What began as one home became a global movement built on compassion, community, and the belief that when families are together, they cope better. Today, Ronald McDonald House supports millions of families through hundreds of Ronald McDonald House and Family Room programs worldwide, all built on one simple belief: when families are together, they cope better.
Today there are over 380 Ronald McDonald House programs in over 60 different countries, and 270 Ronald McDonald House Family Room programs and counting!
Dr. Audrey Evans’ extraordinary life and groundbreaking work continue to inspire generations. Her story is also highlighted in Audrey’s Children, a film that celebrates her dedication to transforming pediatric cancer care and helping families stay close when it matters most.
Located less than three blocks from Carilion Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Southwest Virginia provides comfort, care, and support to approximately 700 families each year. More than just a place to stay, our House offers families a home-away-from-home during some of life’s most difficult moments.
Here, families find more than a bed or a meal—they find a community. Guests connect with others facing similar challenges, creating meaningful relationships and support systems that often become an invaluable part of their healing journey.
When a child is sick or injured, families should be focused on what matters most: their child’s care. Ronald McDonald House Southwest Virginia helps remove the burden of housing, meals, and daily logistics so families can stay close, rest, and heal together.
Built in 1984, Ronald McDonald House Southwest Virginia features 18 private guest rooms, each with two queen-size beds and a private bathroom, providing families with comfort and privacy during extended medical stays.
Our House also includes:
Volunteer groups provide a hot evening meal each night, while families can prepare additional meals in the guest kitchen whenever needed. Every detail of our House is designed to create an atmosphere of care, comfort, and connection.
Ronald McDonald House Southwest Virginia officially opened on May 5, 1984, through a partnership between Roanoke Hospital Association, the Junior League of Roanoke Valley, and McDonald’s Operators of Southwest Virginia. It became the 63rd Ronald McDonald House in the nation.
In September 2007, the Ronald McDonald House Family Room opened inside Carilion Children’s Hospital on the 14th floor, just steps away from the NICU, extending our mission directly into the hospital setting.
From one family’s determination to help others in 1973 to the thousands of families served in Southwest Virginia today, Ronald McDonald House remains rooted in compassion, community, and the belief that keeping families close changes everything.
