The local Ronald McDonald House at the John Hunter Hospital has received a welcome $600,000 to continue its work for another three years.
The money is from the Greater Bank Charitable Foundation and is one of the largest amounts received by Ronald McDonald House in its 30 year history.
It will enable the charity to continue providing a home free-of-charge to families in distress who have a sick or injured child in hospital.
Hanh Li is from Sydney and has just left the facility after a five month stay with a prematurely born child and says the peace of mind it provided is unmatched.
“We were able to put aside the decision of where were going to stay and what we eat. That allowed us to focus completely on the baby.
“That really, really helped us and I really appreciate that. Without it, we don’t know where would end up or where we could have gone.
“At that time looking for accommodation around the Hunter area was not a good idea,” Mr Li said.
The funding will also see the continued delivery of a learning program that provides 600 hours of one-on-one tutoring for up to 15 students per year who have missed long periods of school due to illness, giving them the chance to catch up on their education.
Ronald McDonald House Charities, Northern NSW CEO, Ross Bingham says the funding is really going to support the charities operations.
“It’s not about building something extra or adding an extra program, it’s about supporting the work that we do.
“Our support is all around minimising costs for families and giving them a nice place to stay whilst they’re away from home for whatever time they need to be.
Ronald McDonald House plays a key role for families staying away from home, saving them an estimated $115 per night on accommodation, parking and laundry,” Mr Bingham said.
The Greater Bank Charitable Foundation has been in partnership with Ronald McDonald House in the Northern NSW region since 2019, and the new agreement will bring it’s total contribution to $1 million.
Image L-R: Greater Bank Charitable Foundation CEO Anne Long, Hanh Li and Ronald McDonald Charities, Northern NSW CEO Ross Bingham