Could Shreveport Soon be Home to New Ronald McDonald House?
The Ronald McDonald House Charities has expressed some interest in building one of their invaluable Ronald McDonald Houses in Shreveport.
In an article late last week from arklatexhomepage.com, we see that the CEO for Ronald McDonald House Charities in Arkansas and Northwest Louisiana, Janelle Mason, was just in town to discuss the possibility of constructing a new location in South Shreveport with the Caddo Parish Commission.
Mason said, “Our dream has been to provide these services to Louisiana families so they can be with their child in the hospital. My hope is that our community will come together to donate the funds needed to build this home away from home that provides families with so much more than a free place to stay. There are 380 Ronald McDonald houses in the world, and it’s time our community has one too.”
If you aren't familiar with the mission of Ronald McDonald Houses, the organization writes the following on their website, rmhc.org,
Our first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia, PA, USA, in 1974, after recognizing the need for parents to stay close to their hospitalized child. As we opened more House programs around the world, it became clear that caring for the family of a sick child was as important as caring for the child.
If you have ever visited the facility in West Monroe, Louisiana or any other RMHC facility, you know that these are invaluable for a family with a child dealing with extensive medical issues. They provide a place for the family to stay so they can be close to the child while they undergo their medical procedures.
With the sheer volume of kids here dealing with these sorts of issues, this facility could literally be the miracle needed for these families.
The Caddo Commission elected to postpone a vote on the proposition from RMHC until after Labor Day so they could give this more extensive consideration and will host a meeting with hospital leaders in coming weeks before rendering that decision.