The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
In 2022, we experienced a dramatic increase in demand for services at our three Phoenix-area Ronald McDonald Houses. For example,
1. The number of families served increased by 74% from 2021, to 1,003 families.
2. We hosted 1,502 family visits in 2022, an increase of 83% from 2021.
3. At our three houses, we provided 15,539 Nights of Rest to these families, up 58% from 2021.
The need for a safe, clean, comfortable place to stay while a child is hospitalized for critical care has vigorously rebounded from the pandemic era. Phoenix-area hospitals continue to expand their national stature in pediatric care while also expanding the range of specialties families can access from cancer care to transplants.
The increase of families who need our housing resources has, of course, necessitated hiring additional staff, thereby expanding costs for payroll and benefits. The rising cost of goods from food to linens and cleaning products, to office supplies and utilities has prompted us to engage ever more closely with our vendors to find cost-effective ways to meet our operational demands.
We have also worked closely with our corporate and individual donors to identify the financial impact of the increased occupancy at our houses, rising prices, and additional staff. Our partners and the community have responded to increased fundraising engagement, for which we are very grateful. We anticipate engaging donors in increasingly creative ways as we look at expanding services for families seeking medical services on the west side of Phoenix.
Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, has seen double-digit growth for many consecutive years. This growth continues to attract outstanding pediatric doctors, surgeons, and medical facilities. We foresee the increased demand for our Houses continuing to grow as well. Our 40 years of experience and our community partners will help us meet those demands.
