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Building a New House RMHC of Columbia, S.C., Is Growing so More Families Can Stay Together

Dec 02, 2014 12:43PM ● By Jessica Albert

Fall ushers in many changes. The weather gets a little cooler and the leaves change to different shades of red and yellow. This fall season will also bring about big changes for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Columbia, S.C.

RMHC of Columbia, S.C., provides families of critically ill or injured children a home-away-from-home experience so they are able to stay close to their hospitalized children. Its mission is to find, create and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families.

In 2013, 205 families found hope, comfort and support at RMHC of Columbia, S.C. Unfortunately, the demand for rooms exceeds current capacity. The 4,400 square-foot House only has eight bedrooms, and last year 124 families were turned away due to lack of space.

The hardest thing RMHC of Columbia, S.C., has to do is turn away a family in crisis when it doesn’t have a room available. To help resolve this problem, which recurs all too frequently, it is scheduled to break ground on a brand new House this winter.

The new House will enable RMHC of Columbia, S.C., to continue its mission and vision of serving families in their time of need. The future House will have 16 rooms, private in-suite bathrooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen, a dining room for 50 guests, multiple living rooms, administrative offices and so much more.

The current House has served families for nearly 32 years, and is open to its families 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Each year during the holidays, staff takes the “home-away-from-home” experience to an entirely new level for the families staying at the House.

From shamrocks to Easter egg hunts to decorating pumpkins to volunteers cooking an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner at the House and even decorating the House for Christmas, staff try to bring the holiday spirit to the House for families experiencing very challenging and trying circumstances.

For more information about the new Ronald McDonald House or ways to get involved, visit RMHCOfColumbia.org.  

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