2025
Annual Report
Our Mission
In 2025
28,743
Children served
18,369
Families served 2 / Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana
Family is not a visitor, they stick around for the long haul. Ronald McDonald House ensures it stays that way. We provide essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare.
2025 Annual Report / 3
Our Impact
Juliett with her parents, Ariana and Saul
Juliett’s Smile Reminding Us Why Family Stays When Ariana and Saul Prado left Peru for Chicago, they left behind everything familiar with one hope— to find the specialized medical care their daughter, Juliett, needed. Diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that makes her bones extremely fragile, Juliett received life-changing care at Shriners Children’s Chicago while her family found a home at Ronald McDonald House: Loyola University Medical Center for 80 nights. For Ariana, having Juliett’s little brother, Massimo, by her side made all the difference. “His love for his little sister reminds us that even amid challenges, our family continues to experience moments filled with love, togetherness, and happiness,” says Ariana. More than a place to stay, the House gave the Prado family peace of mind. “It provided us with comfort and a loving environment during one of the hardest times our family has faced,” Ariana shared. Simple moments—preparing meals together, spending time as a family, and being surrounded by a caring community—helped them find strength and hope each day.
In 2025, families stayed with us for more than 55,500 nights. That’s 55,500 nights a parent didn’t have to make the long drive home exhausted. Nights a sibling could fall asleep just minutes away from their brother or sister.
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1,241 Families waitlisted for a room in 2025 Through it all, Juliett taught her family that “true courage is facing each day with hope, love and a smile—even when the road is not easy.”
Every dollar helps keep families close. Close to their child. Close to their medical care team. Close to hope when they need it most.
In 2025, more than 18,000 families found that same hope and comfort at Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana. Every night a family stays close means more hugs after hard appointments, more moments together, and more opportunities to heal—because healing happens best when Family Stays. 2025 Annual Report / 5
Highlights
Ronald McDonald House® Program
6 Houses
Families from 19 countries found comfort, care, and support close to their child’s treatment
Families traveled an average of 140 miles to access the specialized medical care their children needed
Ronald McDonald House Family Room®made Program Your generosity this crit-
4 Family Rooms
Located inside leading pediatric hospitals across Chicagoland
ical work possible.
Private bedrooms and comforting living spaces designed for families caring for some of the most medically fragile children
Ronald McDonald House Care Mobile® Program
2 Mobile Units
Fully-equipped mobile medical units deliver free care directly to underserved, school-aged children
6,833 vaccines administered, bringing essential care directly to children
3,678 children received essential medical care, helping more families access the support and services their children need to thrive
Dear Friends, Every day, families arrive at Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana facing one of the most difficult moments of their lives. Because of you, they find more than a place to stay—they find comfort, care, and the ability to remain close to the child who needs them most. Your generosity ensures that a family can rest just steps from the hospital, share a warm meal after a long day, and focus on what matters most: being together. It removes barriers, eases burdens, and provides hope when it is needed most. These moments of care happen because of a community that believes no family should face a child’s medical journey alone. Whether you donated, volunteered, sponsored an event, or championed our mission, your support made a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of families this year. On behalf of our Board of Directors, staff, and the families we are privileged to serve, thank you for your trust, your compassion, and your commitment to our mission. Together, we are ensuring that families have the support they need to stay close, stay strong, and heal together.
80%
Families served from Illinois + Indiana
With gratitude,
Your generosity made this critical work possible. 6 / Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana
Holly Buckendahl Chief Executive Officer
54,118
Volunteer hours
2025 Annual Report / 7
Financials Operating Revenues Individual
$20,641,464
69%
Corporate
1,398,394
5%
Foundations/Grants
2,195,746
7%
Donated Products and Services (net)
2,142,594
7%
Special Events (net)
3,096,998
10%
502,114
2%
29,977,310
100%
Rental Income
Total Total Income
$31,278,143
(Total Income includes investment gains and losses) Note: 2025 Individual Revenues includes $15 million related to a capital campaign
Net Assets End of Year Without Donor Restriction
$71,446,034
With Donor Restriction
$6,598,765
Total
8 / Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana
$78,044,799
2025 Annual Report / 9
Financials
Your gifts at work.
Served families from
45 states + Puerto Rico & 19 countries
73% Total $16,664,500
11
140 miles
Average distance traveled for medical care
16
%
%
$11.8 million Saved by families
Program Services $12,222,231
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Administrative $2,831,093
Development $1,611,176
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Supporters
Thank you
Thank you to our Volunteers
to our Corporate Champions
At 17 years old, Matthew Brewster’s life changed in an instant.
Your leadership in the Chicago business community is creating meaningful impact for families when they need it most.
What started as a sudden, severe headache became a traumatic brain injury that left him in a coma and fighting for his life. During months of intensive care and rehabilitation, his parents stayed at Ronald McDonald House: Lurie Children’s so they could remain close to him every step of the way.
Through your partnership with Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana, you do more than provide essential resources—you deliver hope, comfort, and access to healthcare for children and families facing unimaginable challenges. As a Corporate Champion, your investment also creates value for your organization. Together, we strengthen employee engagement through meaningful volunteer experiences, elevate brand visibility alongside a trusted nonprofit, build relationships with fellow business leaders, and advance your company’s social impact goals—all while helping families stay close to the care their children need. Thank you for leading with purpose and helping build a stronger, more compassionate community.
My family was supported during one of the hardest seasons of our lives. Volunteering is my way of making sure other families feel that same support.”
Even in the middle of unimaginable challenges, Ronald McDonald House gave Matthew and his family moments of comfort, hope, and community. Today, he returns to Ronald McDonald House not as a patient, but as a volunteer. Twice each month, he volunteers to support families experiencing the same fear and uncertainty his own family once faced. “I feel indebted to Ronald McDonald House,” Matthew says. “My family was supported during one of the hardest seasons of our lives. Volunteering is my way of making sure other families feel that same support.”
To learn more about our Corporate Champions program, visit ronaldmcdonaldhousechicago.org/partners
12 / Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana
2025 Annual Report / 13 RMH Annual Report 2025 / 13
Family Story A Grandparents’ Perspective Finding Comfort in the Darkest Hour As grandparents we look back on the joyous anticipation of twin grandsons that were due to arrive in November of 2023 to our daughter Katie and son-in-law Mike. An otherwise normal pregnancy came to an abrupt end with an emergency Caesarean delivery that occurred at 24 weeks and zero days gestation. What should have been an incredibly joyous occasion was terrifying and tragic. Baby Luke was clinging to life in the NICU and twin brother Owen did not survive. It was all so unimaginable to be filled with grief and hope at the same time. Katie and Mike wanted Owen to remain in Luke’s life forever so they named their son Luke Owen. The entire family was devastated and honestly nobody knew how to move forward after the unthinkable had occurred. As grandparents we want to hold the hurt for our adult children but of course we can’t. We knew for certain there was a long road ahead for all of us. Luke was fighting for his life and we wanted to do anything and everything we could to support our daughter and her family in the long uncertain days ahead of them. What followed for Luke was more than five hundred days in the NICU at two hospitals and two Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana locations. Katie and Mike stayed at those
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Ronald McDonald Houses, allowing them to spend countless hours bedside with Luke. From the outside, Carol and I did everything we could to support them. Katie and Mike were stretched way beyond their limits as young working parents with a toddler at home too. What brought us real relief and comfort was knowing that Katie and Mike never had to worry about finding a hotel room near the hospital. They never had to face a midnight drive home exhausted, or a stack of parking garage bills. Instead, they had a home away from home, a place to rest close to their son while he fought for his life every single day. Ronald McDonald House provided them daily meals and incredible sibling support including gifts for the holidays for their older son. What an incredible gift for any parent going through such a challenging time. Knowing they were being cared for let us focus on helping as grandparents, without carrying those extra fears. For all of us, a small slice of normalcy stayed intact. Today, Luke Owen is nearly three years old and he is finally home surrounded by his loving family. He is growing stronger every day and is working toward decannulation of his tracheostomy and breathing equipment.
Carol and I actively support and volunteer with Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana. The kind of comfort Ronald McDonald House provided our family in the darkest days stays with a family forever. You made it possible for our family to keep going and we will be forever grateful. Thank you. Mike & Carol Bogar 2025 Annual Report / 15
Join Us Mia with her mom, Jeanna
Learn how you can keep families close. Scan to join our email list. Follow us on social media. Family Stays because you stay with us. Thank you.