The House that Love Built

rmhc-central-pa-3chorizIn 2015, The Family & Children’s Services Fund of Lebanon County, a fund of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, was pleased to award $2,000 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA for its project, “The House that Love Built”. Through this award, seven different Lebanon County families with children undergoing treatment at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital and/or Penn State Hershey Medical Center were provided with a loving home-away-from-home. These families were able to remain close to their children and were provided meals, rest, and privacy. In total, Lebanon County families were able to stay 57 nights at the Hershey Ronald McDonald House, with stays ranging from 1 night to 20 nights in a row.

The impact of this grant is much deeper than the number of nights it represents, and is best stated in the words of those it served.

“Until you’re going through this, until you have to rely on other people, you have no idea what it means to you to come down and say, there’s fresh coffee. Or you don’t know what you’re going to do and then you come back and somebody made dinner. Doctors took care of Parker’s heart and RMH took care of ours.”

—as stated by one Lebanon County family who stayed at Ronald McDonald House for nine weeks while their son was treated for a congenital heart defect at 13 days old.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA

For more information on Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA, visit https://www.rmhc-centralpa.org/.

About The Family & Children’s Services Fund of Lebanon County

The Family & Children’s Services Fund of Lebanon County, a fund of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, awards grants to nonprofit, social service agencies in support of projects which serve families and children in Lebanon County. These grants may be used to initiate new programs, expand or improve existing programs, fund a strategic planning process, or offer special professional development opportunities for applicant staff members. Requests which includes on-going personnel costs must demonstrate how such costs will be met in subsequent years. Equipment may be requested if its acquisition would result in the achievement of a significant efficiency, is required to initiate a new program, or would greatly enhance an existing program.

Click here for more information on applying to this or any of TFEC’s grant opportunities.