The Ronald McDonald House of the Twin Cities opened on October 29, 1979. A small group of parents, physicians, nurses and McDonald’s owners/operators located the property, raised the money to buy, renovate and operate a small house that originally accommodated eight families each night.

The Ronald McDonald House provides a home-away-from-home for families with children who have life-threatening illnesses. We can accommodate up to 48 families each night and have expanded and improved upon our common kitchen and dining areas and added a Great Room. We have also built a new classroom for children enrolled in our onsite alternative school, added a half-court gymnasium and opened a new office building with an expanded gift shop.

Families come from throughout Minnesota, the United States and around the world to stay at the Ronald McDonald House. 31% of families who live at the house come from Minnesota, 31% from the surrounding four state area, 34% from other states and 4% from other countries. The average length of stay for families staying for a bone marrow transplant is 158 days. For other families the average length of stay is 28 days.