The addition of 64 suites—which makes Calgary the seventh largest of 380 Ronald McDonald houses around the world—was made possible in part by the $1 million Legacy Grant. The CREB® REALTOR® Community Foundation was one of the first major donors to this expansion project.
The original Calgary house opened 40 years ago to provide a comfortable place for families to stay while their children received care at Calgary’s Alberta Children’s Hospital.
In 2023 before the renovation, RMHC saved 600 families across Alberta and other provinces $9.6 million in out-of-pocket travel expenses. With the expansion, that will grow to 1,200 to 1,800 families saving $20 million per year.
Prior to the expansion, the waitlist could grow to 60 families, so the additional family suites as well as the expanded common spaces and commercial kitchen allow RMHC to minimize their waitlist and provide the necessary programs.
At the grand opening event, many stories were shared of the emotional and financial support that RMHC provides and, most importantly, the community it builds for parents and children when they are going through the hardest time in their lives.
This is all made possible by contributions from the CREB® REALTOR® Community Foundation, which also awarded RMHC Community Grants in 2021 and 2023.
“I was deeply moved by the stories told by parents who have had to utilize the Calgary Ronald McDonald House,” said Christian Twomey, CREB® REALTOR® Community Foundation Chair.
“Knowing CREB® REALTORS® have played such a pivotal role in expanding the reach and support of RMHC makes me immensely proud to be part of the REALTOR® community.”
Thank you to all REALTORS® for contributing to the CREB® REALTOR® Community Foundation and making this expansion for RMHC possible. You are changing lives daily.
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