Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis - Mission, History & Impact
Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis (RMHC STL) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at local hospitals. In 1973, Dr. Audrey Evans and Philadelphia Eagles football player Fred Hill began working on an idea to help families of seriously ill children. With the support of the Philadelphia Eagles organization and local McDonald’s Owner/Operators to raise money for the purchase and restoration of a house near the hospital, the very first Ronald McDonald House opened in October of 1974. Since that time, more than 390 Houses have been built worldwide. In 1981, the Ronald McDonald House opened its first house in St. Louis, on West Pine Boulevard to serve families. Since then, RMHC STL has developed into one of the most prominent and respected nonprofits in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Today, RMHC STL focus areas include:
Ronald McDonald Family Rooms
Often steps away from a pediatric intensive care unit or neonatal intensive care unit, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms offer places of refuge to families whose children have been hospitalized because of illness or injury.
The four St. Louis area Ronald McDonald Family Rooms are located inside of Mercy Children’s Hospital (2), St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. Each year, more than 49,000 local and out-of-town visitors find comfort and care in their Ronald McDonald Family Rooms.
Ronald McDonald Houses
In addition, there are two Ronald McDonald Houses in St. Louis that provide a home-away-from-home for families so they can stay close to their hospitalized child at little or no cost, offering a total of 92 rooms per night. The Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on healing their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal, or where they will lay their head at night to rest. This allows families to face the weight of illness together and to focus on the health and wellbeing of their child rather than grocery shopping, cleaning, or cooking meals.
Looking ahead, RMHC STL will remain focused on building on its legacy and continuing to ask, “What more can be done for our families?”
For more information on RMHC STL, please visit https://rmhcstl.org/. Additional information about RMHC STL’s impact and reach can be found in its 2023 Annual Report, published here.
The Opportunity
Under the leadership of Dan Harbaugh, who has served as President since 1994 and recently announced his plans for retirement, RMHC STL has grown from an organization with 5 staff members and housing 20 families to a staff of 35+ dedicated individuals and revenue approaching $7M per year.
As RMHC STL enters this next chapter, it seeks an exceptional President & CEO to scale the organization while building on past successes. This leader will guide the organization to continuously improve regional impact and service while maintaining RMHC STL’s strengths, which include a talented staff, a strong connection to the community, its partners, and a focus on instilling wellbeing in the families in need.
The President & CEO will be responsible for the strategic vision of the organization and for continuing RMHC STL’s consistent adherence to its mission. The President & CEO will bring empathy and visionary leadership to all areas of RMHC STL, providing oversight of operations, culture, values, talent, financial objectives, fundraising, donor acquisition, donor maintenance, community partners and volunteers.
Reporting to a 26-person Board of Directors and leading a dynamic team of 35+ staff, the President & CEO will spearhead the development and implementation of strategies to ensure the continued operational, financial and cultural health of RMHC STL as it grows into its new facilities and continues to evolve in the years to come. The President & CEO will demonstrate investment in and maintain a presence with, RMHC STL staff, funders, and local and national partners, and will foster a culture of collaboration and shared purpose across the organization.
Compensation
Salary for the role is anticipated to range from $200,000-$225,000 commensurate with experience.