Ground was broken Wednesday on the Hope and Healing Expansion project at Omaha's Ronald McDonald House.
The $10 million campaign will add 20 additional guest rooms, bringing the total number to 40, allowing twice as many families to have a home away from home while their children undergo medical treatment.
RMHC has been operating at nearly full capacity since April 2015, with a waiting list of 8-10 families each night. In 2016, they were forced to turn families away 800 times, and another 714 times in the first six months of 2017.
RMHC Executive Director Lindsey Rai Reasner spearheaded the expansion campaign and says “This project exemplifies the best Omaha has to offer. When we were faced with this obstacle of an underserved population, Omaha stepped up and has helped us get over that hurdle. We’re beyond thrilled to have such a supportive community behind us as we blaze this trail together.”
In addition to the 20 new guest rooms, the project will include an in-house medical clinic operated by Nebraska Medicine, a first-of-its-kind undertaking.
There will also be a larger kitchen, glass-encased toy room, volunteer room, community classroom, quiet and contemplation rooms and office space for Angels Among Us, an organization that offers financial assistance to families who's children are battling cancer.
The project is scheduled to be completed by early 2019.