Wednesday 1st, December 2021
Families of seriously ill kids from across the Hunter and Northern NSW are now able to stay at Newcastle’s Ronald McDonald House in a little more comfort thanks to a
$124,000 grant from the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.
Three of its units on the John Hunter Children’s Hospital have had a much needed spruce-up, each now boasting a new kitchen, bathroom, laundry, flooring, window coverings and a fresh lick of paint.
Ronald McDonald House Newcastle CEO Ross Bingham said the units were well overdue for a revamp.
“The funding from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation was so important because the units hadn’t been upgraded since they were built 14 years ago,” said Ross.
“They had wear and tear and were becoming hard to clean – which can be very important if a child has a compromised immune system.
“We rely on the generosity of the community and grant funding, like Newcastle Permanent’s, to deliver all of our services for families across the northern NSW Region,” he said.
Kicking off in 2020, the reno project was completed on a rolling basis to best manage the high demand for the units. There are six units in total at the Newcastle House which are home to more than 600 families each year.
Chair of our Charitable Foundation Jennifer Leslie visited Ronald McDonald House this week to take a look at the finished product.
“As a parent, I can appreciate how important it is to be able to stay close to your seriously ill child, particularly if you live hundreds of kilometres away and your child is in hospital for weeks or months at a time,” said Jennifer.
“The other beautiful thing about the House is the sense of community. Families have independence and privacy, but communal facilities help families going through similar experiences to connect with and gain support from each other,” she said.
Ronald McDonald House Newcastle has received a total of $225,000 from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation over the past eight years.
To find out more about Ronald McDonald House Newcastle’s services or to volunteer or support its work visit rmhc.org.au or call 4921 4733.