OUR MISSION
Keeping families together and providing the comforts of home while their kids receive medical care.
Community Partner Guide
Nelson Family 91 nights
of the Red Rive r Valle y
When a child is sick, nothing is more important than staying connected. While we cannot make the medicine taste better or take the pain away, we can help lessen the burden and ensure families have stability and resources to support a child’s recovery.
Accommodation needs are a significant stressor for families of critically ill children, particularly when they are traveling long distances. RMHC of the Red River Valley works to help alleviate some of this stress. Our programs support families by bridging access to top medical care for seriously ill children, affording families opportunities to interact more meaningfully with their care teams and providing them with both emotional and physical support.
Your generous commitment will make a direct impact on the families we serve. When you support RMHC of the Red River Valley, you give the gift of home when it’s needed most.
Thank you.
The Sorum Family 6 nights 712 2021 total number of families served Ronald McDonald House 461 2021 Families served Ronald McDonald Family Room 251 2021 Families served What we do 2021 Impact • Reduce the financial burden on families with sick children • Keep families together and near their child’s bedside • Connect families with others experiencing the same uncertainty a medical diagnosis brings • Provide families a place to rest and recharge with meals, activities, and support Together with you we can:
About Our Programs
Our two core programs enable families to spend more time with their sick children, interact with their doctors, and be involved in important decisions about their child’s care.
Ronald McDonald House
Our 24-room Ronald McDonald House provides a welcoming place for families dealing with the stress and fear of a critically ill or injured child. It is more than a place to sleep; it is a source of comfort,
compassion, and convenience for families during a very trying time. Families can stay for a day, a week, a month, or sometimes much longer. The Ronald McDonald House program eases some of the emotional and financial burden that families face by providing meals, groceries, laundry services, and family-centered spaces where guests can relax and refresh. While families can choose to donate $20 per night toward the cost of their stay, there is no requirement for payment for families to utilize our programs. In fact, 80% of our families pay nothing to stay at the Ronald McDonald House.
Ronald McDonald Family Room
Our Ronald McDonald Family Room is located within the Essentia Health hospital in Fargo. The Family Room provides families and caregivers a place to rest just steps away from their child’s bedside and is fully stocked with snacks, coffee, a shower, TV, and more. This space allows families some respite so they can be strong for their sick children throughout the long days of testing and treatment. This space is offered at no charge and is open daily for families.
Ronald McDonald Family Room at Essentia Health
Partnership Opportunities
Your Benefits and Impact Heart Healing Hope Friends of our Families Social Media mentions/features (Audience: 17,000) Quarterly Semi-Annually Annually Annually Logo on RMHC-RRV Corporate Donors page Annual Report Recognition Volunteer Opportunities Annual Partnership Planning session Exclusive RMHC partner updates Quarterly Semi-Annually Annually Acknowledgement in Print newsletter (Audience: 4,000 households) Quarterly Annually Annually RMHC-Red River Valley Corporate
Sponsorship Level $5,000 Sponsorship $2,500 Sponsorship $1,500 Sponsorship Tables (8 attendees per table) 2 1 1 Recognition at event per sponsorship level (600 attendees) Sponsorship Level $2,500 Sponsorship $1,000 Sponsorship $1,000 Sponsorship Teams (4-6 attendees per team) 2 1 1 Recognition at event per sponsorship level (150 attendees) Recognized as match partner in collateral (1,500 participants) $17,500 $7,500 $2,500 Corporate logo used on collateral Sweetheart Ball Golf Tournment Giving Hearts Day Annual Commitment $25,000+ $10,000 $5,000 Minimum $2,500 In-Kind Value
On June 7th, 2021, the Hogan family’s life changed abruptly when their son, Aidan Matthew, was born at 29 weeks.
Weighing only 2-pounds 10-ounces and measuring at 14-inches long, the Hogans were tossed into a whole new world of
The FamilyHogan Family Story
uncertainties and obstacles.
Previously, Rachel and Matthew Hogan, married for fifteen years, had two daughters, Alivia, and Adalynn. Both were conceived after months of planning and fertility treatments. “Both girls were very well planned out! We never thought having a baby without medical help was even possible,” Rachel said.
Yet, on January 17th, 2021, they were completely surprised to discover they were expecting again. The beginning of the pregnancy was pretty typical. Rachel experienced some high blood pressure, but it was well cared for with the help of medication.
As they counted down the days to Aidan’s due date, August 23rd, they unexpectedly underwent a set of events that led to the early arrival of their son. After getting bit in the hand by a dog on May 19th, Rachel
spent several weeks in and out of hospitals due to resulting blood pressure challenges.
While originally receiving care in Park Rapids, near where the Hogans lived, Rachel was eventually transferred to Essentia Health Hospital in Fargo. She would later spend her 39th birthday there, surrounded by her husband and two daughters for a birthday that will likely never be forgotten. The evening after her birthday, everything took a turn when the nurses restricted food and told Rachel to contact Matt. They needed to deliver the baby right away.
After Aidan was born, and as tiny as he was, the Hogan family navigated the real fear of having a child in the NICU along with all the roadblocks that come with it.
For many nights after the initial delivery, Rachel and Matt traded off staying at the hospital while the other looked after
55 Nights
Alivia and Adalynn. It was a nightmare of separation during a time when they needed each other the most.
Throughout these long days and nights, Rachel and Matt found comfort in the Ronald McDonald Family Room located in Essentia Health Hospital. Some days the Hogans spent upwards of five hours in the Family Room. They had access to snacks, a kitchenette, a television, toys for their little girls, a place to shower, and other NICU families to connect with.
Significant memories in the Family Room for the Hogans include watching the Fargo AirSho from the air-conditioned unit and a day-long Scrabble marathon with one of their favorite nurses when they could take a break.
“Being able to get away from the beeps and constant machine sounds of the rooms, yet still be close enough just in case, made the Family Room one of the most important parts of our daily NICU life,” Rachel said.
During one Thursday night, Rachel and Matt had the rare opportunity to both stay together with Aidan. They were informed of the Ronald McDonald House in Fargo at the good word of a NICU nurse and decided to reach out. Within a week, RMHC called them back and set up a room.
”Up until the day of check in, our family had not spent more than a few short periods of time together in over a month and our drive to the hospital was two hours one way,” Rachel said. “We were told to expect Aidan in the hospital until his due date, which was 11 weeks from when he was born. We moved into RMHC two weeks after he was born.”
From those two weeks and on, the Hogan family had an assortment of wonderful
memories at the Ronald McDonald House. Thanks to the staff, fully stocked kitchen, and opportunities RMHC made accessible for the Hogans, the 73 nights Aidan was in the NICU held pockets of joy in an otherwise unpredictable and frightening time.
One sweet memory that stood out to Rachel was the time they received free tickets to Trollwood Performing Arts School to watch Cinderella. “We knew nothing about it going into it, but sitting outside in the evening watching a play was magical and breathtaking,” Rachel said. “It will never be forgotten by us.”
The Hogan family, like many others, never expected to be in this situation. “We all think that nothing like that will ever happen to us, or that we won’t ever need to use a charity to help us through a rough time in life,” Rachel said. “But it does happen, and without the extreme generosity of donors, volunteers, and employees of RMHC we wouldn’t have been able to keep our family together.”
When the Hogan family reflects on their experience, these memories will always be alive for them. Thanks to RMHC they were able to stay together while Aidan grew to be 7-pounds 12.5-ounces—leaving the NICU strong and healthy.
“I cannot tell the story of Aidan without giving RMHC huge praise for what they did for us and do for other families in need.
- Rachel Hogan
Sweetheart Ball
Our signature fundraising event of the year!
Now in its 34th year, the Sweetheart Ball is a magical evening dedicated to celebrating the families we serve and the generous hearts that make our mission possible. More than 600 guests enjoy dinner, a live and silent auction, and dancing, along with the opportunity to hear first-hand from an RMHC family.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2023
Golf Events
SHORT AND SUITE EVENT JUNE 26, 2023
SUITE SHOTS, FARGO TRADITONAL TOURNAMENT JULY 17, 2023
MEADOW’S GOLF COURSE, MOORHEAD
A whole lot of fun and a whole lot of good--that’s what happens when great people come out to support Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley. We offer two great opportunities to Golf FORE Good: a traditional 18-hole tournament as well as a more casual “Short and Suite” event that’s perfect for networking and fun. These events fuel our mission of “keeping families together and providing the comforts of home while their kids receive medical care.”
Other Opportunities
Volunteer
Scan here to volunteer!
Volunteers are essential to providing families comfort and support during their stay at the Ronald McDonald House. Cleaning inside and out, helping at events, or assisting with a special project can expand the ways we serve families. If your team is looking for a great way to connect outside the office or you offer employer-sponsored volunteer time, please consider RMHC.
Wish List Drive
Scan here to give!
Help make our House a home and provide comfort in the family room! Collect needed items in your office or shop our online Amazon and Target wishlists to ship directly to our Ronald McDonald House. Contact our team or check out our website to get the most up-to-date needs.
Scan here for tabs program.
Pop Tab Program
Saving pop tabs is easy and fun! Just place a collection container in a central location and drop it off when it is full.
Scan here for events.
Host an Event
Hosting an office “Jeans Day” or donating a portion of your sales are a couple of easy ways to make a big difference for sick kids and their families.
Scan here to share a meal!
Cook or Bake for Our Families
Meals are an important way to care for our RMHC families. Coming back to a warm, home-cooked meal takes away the worry of finding something to eat after a long day at the hospital.
Financial Snapshot 42% 41% 8% 7% 2% 76% 16% 8% Individuals & Organizations 42% McDonald’s Owner/Operators & Customers 8% Special Events 41% Foundations 7% Guest Families 2% Program 76% Fundraising 16% Administrative 8% Revenue 2021 Expenditures 2021 2021 financials excluding investment earnings 2022 Expense Budget: $801,742 of the Red Rive r Valley
Jill Christopher Jakelle Hoffman 4757 Agassiz Crossing S Fargo, ND 58104 Phone: 701-232-3980 Fax: 701-364-1954 Email: rmh@rmhcfargo.org www.rmhcfargo.org of the Red Rive r Valley Take a virtual tour of the house!