MFA helps Ronald McDonald House build home away from home

The new mid-Missouri Ronald McDonald House in Columbia opened its doors in mid-June for families who need a place to stay while their children are receiving medical care at local hospitals. 

The spacious new facility can accommodate up to 24 families per night, up from 18 at the previous location. Services are provided free of charge, allowing families to focus on the health and well-being of their children rather than worrying about traveling or lodging expenses, said Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Director of Development Steffanee Richardson, who provided a tour of the facility to MFA personnel on June 10, a day before the house held its official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“We’re excited for the families to move in this Friday and start to take advantage of the generosity of the community—your generosity—and just let them be at home when they’re not at home,” Richardson said. “When we designed this house, we wanted to make it warm and inviting. We were very thoughtful in the design, and we listened to what the families wanted. And I think the result is really amazing.”

Columbia has been home to a Ronald McDonald House since 1983, and this is its third permanent location. University of Missouri Health Care’s announcement that the Children’s Hospital would move back to the main campus prompted RMHC’s Board of Directors to sell its previous house at 3501 Lansing Ave., and build a new one near the hospital. Construction began in October 2022.

The MFA Incorporated Charitable Foundation contributed $60,000 to the construction of the facility, located on the corner of Stadium Blvd. and College Ave., within walking distance of the new hospital.

MFA Incorporated’s donation is recognized on nameplates outside the house’s pantries, appropriate for a company that helps farmers feed the world.