Largest Programs
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
$2,195,259
Spent in most recent FY
100%
Percent of program expenses
THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF JACKSONVILLE:RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF JACKSONVILLE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1988. IN ITS 32 YEARS OF OPERATION WE HAVE BEEN A TEMPORARY "HOME AWAY FROM HOME" TO OVER 4 ... (More)
THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF JACKSONVILLE:RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF JACKSONVILLE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1988. IN ITS 32 YEARS OF OPERATION WE HAVE BEEN A TEMPORARY "HOME AWAY FROM HOME" TO OVER 40,000 FAMILIES WHO ARE SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THEIR CHILD IN JACKSONVILLE. EACH YEAR WE SUPPORT FIVE HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL FACILITIES PROVIDING PEDIATRIC TREATMENT IN JACKSONVILLE: WOLFSON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, NEMOURS CHILDREN'S SPECIALTY CLINIC, UF HEALTH JACKSONVILLE, UF HEALTH PROTON THERAPY INSTITUTE AND BROOKS REHABILITATION. WE ARE HOST TO FAMILIES WHO TRAVEL FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF FLORIDA, NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY. AT RMHC JACKSONVILLE FAMILIES WILL FIND NOT ONLY LODGING, MEALS AND TRANSPORTATION, BUT AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE OF COMPASSIONATE CARE. 2020 WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR FOR US ALL AS CORONAVIRUS CAME INTO OUR LIVES. BY MARCH, AS THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC EVOLVED, OUR RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF JACKSONVILLE COMMITTED OURSELVES TO SAFEGUARDING OUR FAMILIES, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS FROM THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 BY ALIGNING OURSELVES WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, OUR GLOBAL RMHC PARTNER, AND IMPORTANTLY THE LEADERSHIP ADVICE OF OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS. UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FACTORS AND LEARNING HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE NEWLY DEFINED CDC PROTOCOLS BECAME CRITICAL TO KEEPING OUR FAMILIES AND MISSION SAFE. IT WAS A TIME OF TRANSFORMATION. WE BEGAN BY LEARNING AND TRAINING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CORONAVIRUS VIRUS TRANSMISSION, IMPLEMENTING THE CDC PROTOCOLS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASK WEARING, TEMPERATURE TAKING, CLEANING AND DISINFECTING POLICIES AND HAND HYGIENE. STAY AT HOME MANDATES WERE IN EFFECT IN FLORIDA. GIVEN THE CRITICAL HEALTH OF THE CHILDREN WHO STAY WITH US THE RISK OF TRANSMISSION WAS HIGH IN A COMMUNAL SETTING. FAMILIES SELF-SELECTED TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES WHILE SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT AND WE BRIEFLY CLOSED OUR DOORS TO TRANSFORM OUR FACILITY AND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO CARE FOR FAMILIES DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. WE REOPENED WITH A KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HEALTHY STAFF AND WITH A STRATEGY THAT PROVIDED THE SAFEST POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENT FOR FAMILIES TO RETURN LIVING COMMUNALLY. WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE HAD ZERO CASES OF CORONAVIRUS IN OUR RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE IN JACKSONVILLE. ALL RONALD MCDONALD HOUSES ACROSS THE WORLD HAD A STRATEGIC 5-PHASED REOPENING OF THEIR MISSION AND PROGRAMS. THESE PHASES EMBRACED THE STRATEGIES OF MODIFICATION, RENEWAL, MOMENTUM, STRONGER AND MISSION FORWARD. FIRST AND FOREMOST OUR MISSION WAS TRANSFORMED TO COMPLY WITH CDC PROTOCOLS YET WE FOUND WAYS TO DELIVER OUR MISSION IN THE MODIFICATION PHASE OF 2020 WITH CARE AND COMPASSION THAT IS THE HALLMARK OF OUR MISSION. OUR COMMUNITY OF COMPASSIONATE CARE IS ANCHORED BY OUR EXPERIENCED FAMILY SERVICES STAFF DEDICATED TO THE WELL-BEING OF OUR FAMILIES. THEY STRIVE TO WELCOME EVERY FAMILY ENGAGING THEM ON A DAILY BASIS AND MAKING RMHC JACKSONVILLE THEIR COMFORTING AND TEMPORARY "HOME AWAY FROM HOME". OUR EXPERIENCED STAFF PROVIDED EXCEPTIONAL CARE THROUGH THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE INCREASED STRESS ON PARENTS AND CHILDREN DURING A PANDEMIC.FROM CHECK-IN TO MEAL PREPARATION, ZOOM MEET AND GREETS, LIMITED COMMUNAL AREA ACCESS, DELIVERING KIDZONE LEARNING CENTER KITS TO THE CHILDREN IN THEIR ROOMS, CELEBRATED BIRTHDAYS AND INDIVIDUAL VAN TRANSPORTATION TO THE HOSPITALS - OUR STAFF MODIFIED ALL PROGRAMS. DURING 2020 15,440 MEALS WERE PREPARED BY OUR IN-HOUSE CHEF VERNETTA. FAMILIES HAD ACCESS TO DAILY SNACKS AND LUNCH TOTES WHICH THEY CARRIED WITH THEM TO THEIR DAILY HOSPITAL VISITS. AT THE END OF THEIR STAY, ALL FAMILIES WERE PROVIDED WITH A "FOOD TOTE" AS THEY RETURNED HOME TO REESTABLISH THEIR OWN HOME PANTRIES. OUR "FOOD TOTE" PROGRAM PROVIDED 309 TOTES TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES. HEALTHY COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS WERE PROVIDED VIA ZOOM AND NUTRITIOUS, HOME-MADE SOUPS WERE OFTEN PREPARED FOR FAMILIES. TUESDAY MORNINGS WERE A FAVORITE WITH HEALTHY SMOOTHIES PREPARED BY OUR CHEF. OUR 4,000 VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR MISSION BECAME VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERS FROM THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THEIR HOMES PARTICIPATING IN READING TO THE CHILDREN, CRAFT ACTIVITIES OR COOL-A-THONS. THEY CONTINUED WITH THEIR MANY CORRESPONDENCES TO THE FAMILIES, FUNDRAISED AND CONTINUED TO BE OUR PARTNERS IN REIMAGINING OUR MISSION AND HELPING TO DELIVER OUR MISSION DURING A TIME OF CRISIS. OUR FACILITY DOG "REED", A GOLDEN RETRIEVER, PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE PROVIDING UNENDING LOVE AND COMPASSION AND REDUCED ANXIETY AND FEAR. NEW CHILDREN AND RETURNING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ALL LOOK TO 'REED" AS THEIR NEW BEST FRIEND. "WOOF WEDNESDAY" IS ALWAYS A VERY POPULAR PAGE ON OUR FACEBOOK SITE. UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES OUR FAMILY STAYS ARE FURTHER SUPPORTED WITH A FITNESS CENTER, THEATRE ROOM, NEMOURS ROOFTOP GARDEN, A NONDENOMINATIONAL ROOM OF CONTEMPLATION, COFFEE BAR AREAS, PLAYROOMS, LAUNDRY ROOMS AND ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY FOUND IN THE COMMON DINING AREAS, PLAYROOM AND THE KIDZONE LEARNING CENTER. THESE AMENITIES ARE ALL SUPPORTED WITH THOUGHTFUL PROGRAMMING THAT SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR FAMILIES. OUR KIDZONE HAS BECOME A FAVORITE OF OUR CHILDREN AND PARENTS ALIKE. IT IS A JOYOUS PLACE OF LEARNING AND EXPLORATION CREATED, MANAGED AND STAFFED BY OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, MANY WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR CAREERS IN EDUCATION. EXCITING THEMES AND CURRICULUMS WITH CRAFTS AND LEARNING GREET THE CHILDREN EVERY DAY, A DAILY LIVE FEED FROM THE SAN DIEGO ZOO DELIGHTS EVERYONE AND FOR HOURS AT A TIME CHILDREN CAN FORGET ABOUT THEIR ILLNESS AND ENJOY BEING A CHILD. GIANT LEGOS ABOUND AND CHILDREN'S ART IS MASTERFULLY DISPLAYED. TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO OUR KIDZONE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PARTS OF A STEM CURRICULUM AND THE INTRODUCTION OF CODING THAT WAS TAUGHT TO STAFF BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA'S COLLEGE OF EDUCATION. OUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE DAILY HEALTH OF OUR FAMILIES THROUGH NUTRITIOUS MEALS, COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS, PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS WITH VISITING DOCTORS, WELLNESS SEMINARS AND YOGA ON THE ROOFTOP. ALL OF THIS PROGRAMMING IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE STRESS OUR FAMILIES FACE. IMPORTANTLY, OUR DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS MEET AND GREAT OUR FAMILIES WITH CARE AND COMPASSION. THEY CAN BE FOUND WORKING AT OUR FRONT DESKS, HOUSEWARMING IN OUR KITCHENS, VOLUNTEER COOKING, LANDSCAPING, DOING MAINTENANCE WORK, VOLUNTEERING FOR EVENTS, CRAFTS AND GAMES AND VOLUNTEERING DAILY IN OUR KIDZONE LEARNING CENTER. GROUPS OF VOLUNTEERS OFTEN CREATE EVENTS FOR OUR CHILDREN LIKE BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND CRAFT EVENTS, SUPERHERO AND PRINCESS NIGHTS. A SEASONAL FAVORITE IS ALWAYS A VISIT FROM THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS WHO COOK BREAKFAST OR HOST A HOLIDAY EVENT. THE MCDONALD'S OWNER/OPERATORS ALSO VISIT SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR TO COOK UP EVERYONE'S FAVORITE MCDONALD'S BISCUITS, EGG AND SAUSAGE SANDWICHES.THE RONALD MCDONALD FAMILY ROOM AT WOLFSON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL:THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE FAMILY ROOM AT WOLFSON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS A CORE PROGRAM OF RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF JACKSONVILLE AND PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE JACKSONVILLE COMMUNITY. THE NEWLY RENOVATED WAITING ROOM IS LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE THE DOORS OF THE PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AND PROVIDES A PLACE OF RESPITE FOR FAMILIES VISITING THEIR CRITICALLY ILL CHILD. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS VERY SPECIAL FAMILY ROOM IS CONTINUOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED BY FAMILIES WHO SPEND LONG HOURS IN THE HOSPITAL AWAITING SURGERY OUTCOMES OR TEST RESULTS. THE ROOM WAS RECENTLY UPDATED TO INCLUDE A RELAXING OUTDOOR TERRACE WITH ADDITIONAL SEATING AND A HEALING LABYRINTH. THIS FAMILY ROOM PROVIDES A KITCHENETTE, COFFEE STATION AND SNACKS, A FLAT SCREEN TV AND ACCESS TO IPAD TECHNOLOGY TO ALL VISITORS. GREETING OUR MORE THAN 22,000 VISITORS A YEAR ARE OUR DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS WHO SUPPORT THE VISITING FAMILIES ON THEIR JOURNEY WITH A WARM SMILE AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.HOWEVER, DURING THE 2020 PANDEMIC, WOLFSON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL ESTABLISHED GUIDELINES THAT INCLUDED NO VISITORS OR ONE PARENT PER CHILD AND CLOSED ALL COMMUNAL AREAS. RMHC JACKSONVILLE WAS REQUIRED TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE OUR FAMILY ROOM AT WOLFSON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. (Less)
