OL 665 Final Project

Strategic Analysis

Maria Williams

Southern New Hampshire University

02/09/2020

Strategic Analysis

The not-for-profit organization on which this strategic analysis will focus on is the Ronald McDonald House in Macon, Georgia. Ronald McDonald House is a network of charities that provide resources to help families stay connected and closer to the care they need (Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), 2020). The charity provides accommodation services to help families to stay close to their children or other loved ones receiving care in the hospital. These resources are based on the belief that health care is best provided when the sick person is surrounded by love and family.

My interest in this organization is based on experience and understanding for the need of family-centered care for critical care patients. Being a NICU nurse, such families are important to be. I am interested in learning more about an organization that gives families a place to stay close to the hospital, where their loved ones are receiving treatment, so that they can be available to offer the love and care that is vital to the healing and recovery of their loved one.

Mission

The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia is to provide support and care for families of children who are seriously ill, medically fragile, or critically injured and in treatment at medical facilities in the area.

The organization is based on the principle that home is where the family is. They believe that healing occurs when an ill child is surrounded by family in laughter and bedtime stories. The services that the organization offers provide an island of refuge in the midst of the many chaos associated with taking care of a critically ill loved one (RMHC, 2020). Keeping families together during the periods of critical care helps to improve the experience and healing process of the patient and their family.

History

The first Ronald McDonald House was opened in 1974 in Philadelphia. The initiation of this charity was inspired by the experience of Fred Hill, the Philadelphia Eagles tight end, who has a 3-year-old daughter being treated for Leukemia at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. During the treatment experience, Fred and his wife Fran witnesses a lot of parents and families suffering to see and stay with their sick children (RMHC, 2020). A lot of parents, who could not afford hotels, would stay in the waiting rooms for long periods of time after travelling long distances. The Hills wanted to create a solution for these kinds of families. They rallied funds from teammates and support from Jim Murray, the team’s manager to support Dr. Audrey Evans in opening a comfortable temporary residence for families of children in treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Evans was the head of pediatric oncology at the hospital, who had noticed the same problem and had the temporary residence as the solution. Jim Murray helped to get the support of Don Tuckerman working at the local McDonald’s and the Ed Rensi, the McDonald’s regional manager to start a St. Patrick’s Day Green Milkshake promotion (RMHC, 2020). The proceeds of this promotion were used to buy an old house close to the hospital that became the first Ronald McDonald House. Four decades later, more than 366 new houses have been opened around the world, serving more than 7,500 families.

Current Position

The Ronald McDonald House network currently has 217 family rooms located in 23 countries. The program also operates 50 Care Mobile programs that provide dental and pediatric services in 9 countries. It is estimated that over 7,500 families currently benefit from the services that are offered by this organization. There are currently 6 locations of the Ronald McDonald Houses in Georgia, but only one is in Macon. This location serves families from South and Central Georgia (RMHC, 2020).

References