Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin officially opened its expanded facility during a ribbon cutting event on Tuesday.
The $10 million expansion project, completed over 18 months, has doubled the nonprofit facility’s size. The organization’s site, located at 8948 W. Watertown Plank Rd. in Wauwatosa, now has 70 guest suites, as well as a music therapy room, a fitness center, study rooms and new kitchens to accommodate families whose children rely on treatment at area hospitals.
“Our new facility gives us the hope that we will never have to say ‘no’ to a family that is facing one of life’s greatest challenges,” said Ann Petrie, president and chief executive officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin.
In 2013, the organization had to turn away close to 900 families, many of them from Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, as it lacked appropriate space and resources, according to Petrie.
As the Ronald McDonald House’s regional branch celebrated the opening of its expanded facility Tuesday, it also honored its 30th anniversary. The organization said it has hosted more than 35,000 families since its inception.
