Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire (RMHCCE) has officially launched its $12 million More Rooms, More Families Capital Campaign, highlighted by a transformational $3 million commitment from Savannah Area McDonald’s Owner/Operators to help build a new Ronald McDonald House and significantly expand the number of families the organization can serve.

The historic announcement was made Tuesday, August 11, during a special one-hour edition of WTOC’s Morning Break, broadcast live from the Ronald McDonald House in Savannah. The program was dedicated to the Capital Campaign, the families served by RMHCCE, the organization’s nearly 40-year history in the community, and the McDonald’s Owner/Operators whose partnership has been at the heart of the Ronald McDonald House mission from the beginning.

John Palmaccio, a Savannah Area McDonald’s Owner/Operator and RMHCCE Board Member, announced the $3 million commitment on behalf of the local Owner/Operator community.

“Ronald McDonald House isn’t simply a charity we support- it is part of who we are,” Palmaccio said. “As local Owner/Operators, we see firsthand the difference this House makes for families. We are proud to make this commitment because we believe in the future of Ronald McDonald House and in making sure families can remain close to their children when they need each other most.”

The More Rooms, More Families Capital Campaign will fund construction of a new three-story Ronald McDonald House on the campus of Memorial Health in Savannah.

The new House will increase capacity from the current 13 guest bedrooms to 32 private bedrooms, including four specialized isolation rooms designed to better accommodate children who are immunocompromised or have specialized medical needs. The new facility will also include expanded kitchens and dining areas, family gathering spaces, laundry facilities, administrative and support areas, and improved accessibility for families with a wide range of physical and medical needs.

The expansion is driven by a need that RMHCCE encounters every day.

The current 13-bedroom Ronald McDonald House routinely operates at capacity, with approximately 16 to 26 families waiting for a room on an average day. These are families whose children are receiving treatment at Savannah-area hospitals and who need a place to stay close to their child.

“For nearly 40 years, we have made a simple promise to families: you can stay close to your child, and you do not have to face this journey alone,” said Billy Sorochak, Chief Executive Officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire. “But today, our need has outgrown our House. When 16 to 26 families are waiting every day, those aren’t just numbers. They are moms, dads, grandparents, brothers and sisters who simply want to be near a child receiving medical care.”

RMHCCE opened its Savannah House on July 11, 1987, as the 102nd Ronald McDonald House in the world. Since then, thousands of families from Southeast Georgia, the South Carolina Lowcountry and beyond have called the House their home away from home while their children received medical treatment.

The future House is expected to provide approximately 11,788 family nights of lodging annually, greatly increasing RMHCCE’s ability to meet the growing demand for its services.

“This isn’t about building a bigger House just to have a bigger House,” Sorochak said. “Every additional bedroom represents another family that gets to stay together. It means another parent who can walk back from the hospital and get a few hours of sleep, another family that can share a meal together, and another parent who gets to hear us say, ‘Yes. We have a room for you.’”

McDonald’s has been intertwined with the Ronald McDonald House mission since the first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974. Locally, Savannah Area McDonald’s Owner/Operators have continued that legacy through financial support, Board leadership, volunteerism, restaurant fundraising and the Round-Up for RMHC program, which allows McDonald’s customers to round their purchase to the nearest dollar to support Ronald McDonald House programs.

The $3 million commitment represents a major leadership investment in the future of RMHCCE and builds on decades of partnership between McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House.

The Capital Campaign has already surpassed 70% of its $12 million fundraising goal, and RMHCCE is now inviting businesses, foundations, civic organizations, families and individuals throughout the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry to become part of the project.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our community,” said Chris Tilton, President of the RMHCCE Board of Directors. “For nearly four decades, this House has been here when families needed it. Now it is our responsibility to make sure Ronald McDonald House is prepared to serve the next generation of families who will walk through its doors.”

The campaign is being led by Campaign Co-Chairs Nina Gompels and George Woods, together with RMHCCE leadership, its Board of Directors and a volunteer Capital Campaign Committee.

LS3P has been selected as the architectural partner for the new Ronald McDonald House, with EMC Engineering Services serving as the project’s civil engineering partner.

RMHCCE encourages members of the business community interested in the More Rooms, More Families Capital Campaign to contact the organization to learn more about the project, available giving and recognition opportunities, and the vision for the future Ronald McDonald House.

“This House is being built by our community, for our community,” Sorochak said. “Yesterday we officially launched More Rooms, More Families. Now we are inviting our entire community to help us finish what we have started and build the next Ronald McDonald House for the Coastal Empire.”