Our History
Since 1980, RMHC Dayton has provided a home-away-from-home for families with hospitalized children, keeping them close by in a stressful time.
Our Ronald McDonald House
RMHC Dayton was established in 1980. We officially opened the doors of our first Ronald McDonald House (RMH) at 741 Valley Street on Feb. 1 of that year, making us the 14th RMHC House built in the United States. The first Dayton RMH featured seven bedrooms and 3.5 shared bathrooms.
In 1998, Brown & Bills Architects built RMHC Dayton’s current house at 555 Valley Street. The architects received the Award of Merit from Associated Builders & Contractors for their work on our new RMH.
It features 14 private bedrooms with private bathrooms, a community kitchen, playground, play room, media center and conference space.
The first RMH is still standing and is now owned by Dayton Children’s Hospital (DCH). It served as the CARE House for several years following RMHC Dayton’s move. Since 2014, it has served as home to DCH’s HR Department. It also now serves as home for A Special Wish Foundation – Dayton Chapter.
The Playground across the street is a joint collaboration between RMHC Dayton, Dayton Children’s Hospital and the CityWide Development. It opened in 2016.
Families at the first RMHC Dayton House in 1980.
Ronald McDonald helped break ground for RMHC Dayton’s new House in 1998.
Ronald McDonald oversees construction of RMHC Dayton’s new House in 1998.
Our Ronald McDonald Family Rooms
Ronald McDonald Family Rooms (RMFR) are designed to be a place for families to rest and regroup without leaving the hospital. In 2016, the first Ronald McDonald Family Room (RMFR) also opened at DCH next to the PICU. In 2018, the RMFR inside DCH was moved to its new space on the Fourth Floor.
The grand opening of RMHC’s first RMFR was held on Feb. 1, 2016.
This is how the RMFR at DCH looked when first opened.
The RMFR at DCH was moved to the Fourth Floor and expanded in 2018.
The second RMFR opened inside Emmett’s Place at Miami Valley Hospital in 2017. The Sorensen family and the MVH Foundation joined RMHC Dayton in creating this expanded family room in honor of Emmett Mikael Sorensen. Emmett was born prematurely on Oct. 1, 2016. Sadly, he passed away shortly after birth. During construction of the space, the Sorensens and other members of the community wrote messages, prayers and scriptures to Emmett in the space.
Family and community members leave messages inside Emmett’s Place.
Emmett’s mom wrote a message to him before the walls were installed inside the RMFR.
The RMFR inside Emmett’s Place opened in 2017.
Our Service Partners
Most RMHC chapters work closely with just once service partner or children’s hospital. In 2015, RMHC Dayton was serving three partners with its one RMH including Dayton Children’s Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital and Kettering Health Network. By 2020, RMHC Dayton had grown to three program spaces and seven service partners including Dayton Children’s Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital, Kettering Health Network, Shriners Children’s Ohio, UC Health, Brigid’s Path and 4Paws for Ability.
In 2020, RMHC Dayton celebrated 40 years of Keeping Families Close.
