History of Ronald McDonald House of San Diego

In 1980, Ronald McDonald House® of San Diego opened its doors in the Serra Mesa community of San Diego as the 20th Ronald McDonald House in the world. This was a result of a small, dedicated group of parents who knew, first-hand, what it was like to have a child with a serious illness. In the late 1970s, Irma Gusfield, a social worker, brought families of cancer-stricken children together to provide moral and emotional support for each other during their stay at the hospital. From this grew the idea to build the Ronald McDonald House of San Diego.

Together, the founding families, hospital staff, community and McDonald’s Owner/Operators, made the dream a reality. Since opening our doors on December 16, 1980, the Ronald McDonald House of San Diego has provided more than 140,000 nights of lodging for more than 14,000 families,
while their children undergo
treatment at area hospitals. Families have come from as far away as Ireland, France, Mexico, Japan, Argentina, Guam, and as close as San Diego and Imperial counties. Children being treated at most major hospitals in San Diego County have stayed at the House, including Rady Children’s Hospital, UCSD Medical Center, Balboa Naval Hospital, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns, Scripps Memorial Hospital, Mercy Hospital and Kaiser Permanente.

On July 7, 2009, after almost 30 years in the original 12-bedroom House, a new 47-bedroom House opened to accommodate more families now and in the future. The new House sits atop a six-story parking structure, is almost two football fields long and four times  the size of the previous House. In addition to overnight guests, the House also welcomes day visitors to enjoy a reprieve from the hospital through our Family Care Center, located within the House.

The Family Care Center offers them access to a dining area, a computer lab, a school room, outside amphitheatre and play area, arts and crafts room, chapel, work out room, showers and a resting room for day guests, and even a beauty salon. On a monthly basis, the House provides day services to nearly 1,400 local families whose children are receiving care at local hospitals, giving them a sanctuary to take care of themselves so they can take care of their seriously-ill or injured child. All of these services and amenities help keep families together in a home environment in their time of need.