Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Greater Las Vegas Breaks Ground On A Second House
Families who must travel to Las Vegas to receive life-saving treatment for their children will soon have an incredible new resource for housing and other support services. Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Greater Las Vegas broke ground on a second House during a ceremony on Tuesday, December 13th that featured the single-largest donation in the charity’s history.
A check for $1 million dollars was presented during the 30-minute event by Kris Englestad, Trustee of the Englestad Foundation, and a long-time supporter of the RMHC mission to serve families in medical crisis. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Las Vegas Strip Entertainer and Comedian Carrot Top, who has been a celebrity ambassador for the charity for more than two decades, were also in attendance for this special occasion.
“For more than 24 years, the Las Vegas Ronald McDonald House has provided a ‘home away from home’ to families with sick or injured children,” said Alyson McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer of the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Greater Las Vegas. “This new facility will feature eight individual patio homes to provide larger families with longer stays the independent space they need to call home while their child is in the hospital.”
The second House, expected to be completed in Fall of 2023, will increase the charity’s current capacity by 66% to serve up to 188 more families in need every year. This will eliminate a current waiting list and the need to put families in local hotels until a room can become available.
The new facility will be located one block away from the current House, at the corner of Edmond and O’Bannon streets in Las Vegas. It will sit on one acre of land that was generously donated by neighborhood resident John Paul R. Kernahan, in honor of his late partner, Michael Linsk.
“All I can say is that Michael would be very happy,” Kernahan said, while holding back tears. “He always loved kids. He was a wonderful person.”
Design and construction of the Ronald McDonald House at O’Bannon is estimated at $5 million. To date, the charity has received nearly $4 million in donations. For more information on how to support this project through a donation or a naming opportunity, visit https://rmhlv.org/capital-campaign/.
