of the Red Rive r Valley Hogan Family
TABLE OF CONTENTS
OUR MISSION
Keeping families together and providing the comforts of home while their kids receive medical care.
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
OF THE RED RIVERY
VALLEY About
Our two core programs enable families to spend more time with their sick children, to interact with their doctors, and to be involved in important decisions about their child’s care. Much of a family’s ability to stay close to their child during illness is related to unexpected costs that families face and their means to cover these. Costs of hotel rooms, eating out, traveling from home, missed work, and medical bills are just a few challenges that families face.
The Ronald McDonald House provides housing for families with children 21 or younger who are receiving care at Sanford Health, Essentia Health, Eating Disorder and Weight Management Institute, Roger Maris Cancer Center or Prairie St. John’s. So much more than a hotel, we also provide home-cooked meals, play areas, laundry facilities, computers, and a home-like atmosphere to families working to care for their critically ill children. We surround our families with love and support from giving volunteers, caring staff, and from other guest families who understand what families are going through. While families can donate $20 per night toward the cost of their stay if able, there is no requirement for payment for families to utilize our programs. In fact, approximately 80% of our families pay nothing to stay at the Ronald McDonald House.
The Ronald McDonald Family Room serves as a respite for families with babies receiving medical care at Essentia Health Hospital in Fargo. Like the Ronald McDonald House, the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Essentia Health is designed to support families through their child’s medical journey – whether it’s a break from the clinical environment, a restorative nap or night’s rest, or a sense of normalcy. We provide a relaxed space for families to grab a snack or a drink, take a shower, or take a quick break just steps from their critically-ill child, if only for a few moments.
Upstairs family room equipped with couches and a TV.
Open-concept dining room that connects to multiple kitchen areas.
Ronald McDonald Family Room at Essentia Health
Burley Family 83 nights
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY 2021 STAFF
Executive Director
Jill Christopher
Development Director
Jakelle Hoffmann
Mission Support Specialist
Merideth Sherlin
Director of Family Services
Lane Pereboom
Director of Operations
Ashley Petersen
Mission Support Specialist
Haley Westby
Family Service Associates
Tori Fiedler
Madison Marschel
McKenzie Breden
Devin O’Harra
Hannah Wilke
April Kratcha
Hailee Peterson
Stephanie Nelson
Nora Murphy
Ali Engraf
LeAnn Ebersviller
Lisa Rudnick
Emily Pekas
A special thanks to our interns and security team who committed their time and talents to RMHC in 2021.
191 volunteer prepared meals 2,024 volunteer hours Average Stay 17.2 Days .
RMH Facilities Served
EATING DISORDER INSTITUTE
ROGER MARIS CANCER CENTER
PRAIRIE ST JOHN’S
ESSENTIA HEALTH
RMH Top Diagnosis
HIGH
251 families
McDonald House
373 families
Partnership
88 families
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A very rewarding part of my job is getting to see first-hand the generosity of our community in support of the mission of RMHC of the Red River Valley. 2021 was another wonderful year thanks to the endless support we received from you – our donors, volunteers, and advocates. I am proud to say that with your support we served an unprecedented 712 families in 2021, which is 94 more than 2020 – a 15% increase. Thanks to our steadfast supporters, we were able to continue our mission of keeping families together.
In addition to providing a place of respite at our Ronald McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Room, we continue to provide families with so much more. Warm meals, baked goods and snacks to feed to body, basic necessities like toothbrushes to ensure families have what they need, handmade quilts to provide warmth, and fun items like toys and art supplies to bring a smile to a child’s face are just some of the highlights of our programs.
As we wrap up 2021 and look to a new year, we look forward to continuing to share our mission with you. Know that your generous gifts are already at work supporting the brave and resilient families we have with us today. You are making an incredible impact and I am so grateful for your continued support.
With a heart full of gratitude,
Jill R. Christopher Executive Director
LAWSON NELSON
“We are over-the-top blown away by the generosity that was poured out to us by the Ronald McDonald House. Our needs were thoroughly tended to and then some.”
- Nelson Family
Nelson Family
97 nights
2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Officers
President – Jeremy Ostrowski, Aldevron
Vice President – Katie Rizzo, Sanford Health
Past President – Shauna Wimer, Midco
Treasurer – Alexis Odden, Eide Bailly
Secretary – Emily Cook, McDonald’s
Members
Todd Anderson, Josef’s School of Hair, Skin and Body
Katie Bjornson, Fargo Center for Dermatology
Nicole Christensen, Essentia Health
Brad Kraft, Ascensus
Sharon Miller, Retired HR Professional
Shawn Paschke, Xcel Energy
Madison Quamme, Flint Group
Amanda Richter, Prairie St. John’s
Caitlin Stoecker, Bobcat
Jean Zimmerman, Offutt Family Foundation
Hogan Family 55 nights
of the Red Ri ve r Valley
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
OF DECEMBER 31ST 2021
Gifts were made in memory & honor of the following people in 2021. If you made a memorial or honorarium gift in 2021 and it was omitted, misspelled, or listed incorrectly, please accept our sincere apology and notify our Development Director, Jakelle, at 701-232-3980 or jakelle@rmhcfargo.org.
2021 MEMORIAL DONATIONS
DONATIONS WERE MADE IN MEMORY OF:
#DevonKind
Ace Brandt
Alivia Lea Plutowski
Arlan Torgrimson
Ashten
Barbara Craft
Bev Odden
Bill Nelson
Bob Wimer
Bonnie Steeke
Brady Iverson
Brett Campbell Breyden
Calen Schmidt
Cameron Bolton
Carol Connell and Reuben Miller
Charity Mae Kohlman
Chase Besette
Christopher Lubbers
Claire Exner
Clarence Colgrove
Diane Anderson
Don Gates
Donald Beutler
Donna Elliott
Dr. Jon Kaspari
Duane Baumgartner
Earl Surerus
Easton Johnson
Elaine Holm
Elaine Snustad Kolle
Faith Westby
Grace Hindes
Heidi Flagstad
Helen Curtis
Hellat Mai
Howard & Lavina Lemieux
Jack Anderson
Jack Ellis Peña
Jack Peterson
James Vetter
Jatara Parks
Jerome Link
2021 TRIBUTE DONATIONS
DONATIONS WERE MADE IN HONOR OF:
37 People
Afton and Zach Anderson all the special babies
Alpha Delta Kappa
Angelah Bursiek
Ashley Barry
Aubrey Luggar
Bethann Crary
Brandon and Amanda Bergin Family
Brayden and Joslyn Larson
Brayden Rolfson
CeCe Olson and family
Charlie Potter
Chelsey and Chad Ellis
Cheri Lynn Miller
Chloe Anderson
Claire Bohan
Colt Kaste
Colten
Darren Dunlop
Dave and Rosalie Harmon
Debrah Novak
Derek and Marci Hjelm Family
Donna Podratz
Eli D
Elizabeth Rayman
Emily Cook
Emma Jorda
Erica Johnsrud
Esther Kuper
Goodland Coven and Friends and their newest nephew, Watson
Greg Dobitz
Haley Westby
Hayden Meier
Hayley Beth Henrik Imler
Jack Buchmann
Jackson and Finley Fulton
Jakelle Hoffmann
Janet Well
Jared Trangsrud
Jayda Rude
Jill Christopher
Josey Skytland’s twins
Joy Eastgate
Jerry and Charlotte Mickelson
Joan Thompson
John Freer
John Freise
Kambry Ihry
Karen Reed
Kathy Rognlie
Keith Krepps
Lillian Hilgers
Lloyd Schultz
Luna Gonzalez
Mae Marie Blackmore
Marc Hanson
Margaret Woodward
Marian Nelson
Marion Haugrud
Marjorie Thompson
Michael Muhsen
Phyllis Norgon
Piper Paisley Johnson
Randy Link
Ray Flint
Reid Connell
Reuben and Ethelyn Johnsrud
Robert “Bob” Elliot
Ron Olson
Rosalyn Brockman
Rosie McGinty
Rudy Stutsman
Russel Schmidt
Ryan Meade
Sara McAllister
Sheri Kimber
Shirley Baumgartner
Shirley Meyer
Sophia Brademeyer
Stephen Busch
Terry Anderson
Terry Bladholm
Tom Askland
Tuyet Nguyen Violet ‘Vi’ McAllister
Kade
Kaiser Schonert
Kathey Skarie
Kathryn Virginia Neuharth
Krystle Duke, her beautiful children & Momma Tina
Langley Bradley
Laura Edwards
Logan Wolden
Lyle Kirchner
Mabel Schneider
Melvin McGriff
Mila Waletich
Mr. and Mrs. Terry Tobin
Mrs. Ione Tobin
Muriel and Jack Hinman
Norah Skaug
Patrick Fellman
Paul Bell
Paxton, Ryker, and Hadley
Petersen
Rhen and River Skytland
Ringo Nielsen’s therapy work
Rizzo kids
RMHC staff
RMHC volunteers
Ron Oldoren
Rose Klein
Rosie McGinty
Ryan Wasvick
Sandra Nielsen
Sarah Peterson Muir
Sharon Miller
Shauna Wimer
Sutton Goodman
The Worthy Grand Matron and the Worthy Grand Patron of the order of the Eastern Star of North Dakota
Warren Lee
Wyatt, Dani, Hope and Faith Stramer
Alexis Hoffart
Alexis Hoffart