Fill The House That Love Built
The Ronald McDonald House provides a “home-away-from-home” for families traveling long distances to get treatment for their seriously ill or injured children. The treatment may last a day, a month, or even longer. It’s a long time to be away from home, or to divide a family. The Ronald McDonald House offers families a way to stay together, in proximity to the treatment hospital, and be comfortable and cared for during their stay. We have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Gainesville, FL on more than one occasion. It was a welcome reprieve during the stress and sleepless nights that accompany extended trips to the hospital. During our time spent at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL, we have seen many families who have taken advantage of the services provided by the houses.
Every February, Livy’s Hope conducts a national campaign called “Fill the House That Love Built” to collect items for houses around the country. We also make dinner for the families at a local house and encourage you to do the same. If you would like to get involved and collect items for a house in your community, please contact a local Ronald McDonald house and inquire about their needs.
Since the Ronald Mcdonald House is a non-prof it organization, they rely on donations for support. But they need more than financial donations. Each house has a list of items that families use while staying such as:
- Paper products (facial tissue, toilet paper, paper towels)
- Trash bags
- Aluminum foil, plastic wrap and sandwich bags
- Laundry detergent and fabric softener
- Cleaning products (sponges, dishwashing liquid, dishwasher detergent)
- Bath and bedroom items (towels, shower curtains, sheets and pillow cases)
- Personal care products (deodorant, dental floss, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner)
- Entertainment products (games, movies, books, art supplies)
- Long-distance phone cards
- Gift cards for local grocery stores and gas stations
- Greeting cards and postage stamps
- Gift certificates to local grocery stores and department stores (Target, Wal-Mart, etc)
- Transportation vouchers (buses, taxis, trains)
- Passes to museums, cultural and sporting events
Getting involved with the campaign is easy. Just follow these steps:
- Select a local Ronald McDonald House (go to https://www.rmhc.org/chapter-search to find a house near you)
- Contact the house for the list of items that are needed
- Get some big boxes and attach the graphic you receive from Livy’s Hope along with the list of items needed
- Put the boxes in your child’s school, your place of business, or other locations
- Contact your friends and family and ask them to drop items off at your house by a specific date
- When you are done collecting, deliver the items to the Ronald McDonald House
- Make sure you take pictures of your efforts to share on social media (and with us, too!)
Downloadable Images
Downloadable Files
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Learn How To Make Your Own Collection Box
