The Lexington Ronald McDonald House serves families of children 21 years and under that are being treated by local hospitals. In addition to parents and patients, we also welcome siblings, grandparents, or other essential caregivers. Due to Fire Codes, we can only allow four people per room.
Our 21 rooms are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Families staying at the Lexington Ronald McDonald House for the first time must be referred by a hospital social worker or physician. If you do not have a physician or hospital referral you may fill out an online referral. All online referrals will be verified prior to waitlist placement. Due to wait lists a request to stay does not guarantee a room. Families will be notified of room availability the day the room is needed. To ensure the comfort and safety of all our guests, each potential House guest must have a background check prior to arrival. Please allow 48 hours to process.
Required Documentation: Guests and visitors over the age of 18 will be asked to present a photo ID and be willing to submit to a background check. There are no exceptions to the photo ID rule.
All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Because we never know how long a family will stay, we are unable to accommodate advance reservations. We take referrals based on submission date and time (first-come, first-served). If a room is available when the referral is received, it will be assigned to you. If not, your name will be placed on a wait list in the order of when the referral was received. We often have families check out daily, however, if no room is available, we will add you to our wait list. If your request is for one or two nights, we may be able to assist you in finding hotel accommodations. You will stay on the wait list until a room becomes available, at which time we will call you.
The Lexington Ronald McDonald House requests a daily donation of $10, to help offset the actual cost of $125 per night. If a family is unable to donate, they need not worry, no family has ever been, or will ever be, turned away due to inability to pay.
The House is accessible to families 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The front desk is staffed from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., 7 days a week. We have a trained Security team that assists overnight in case of emergency.
The Lexington Ronald McDonald House can accommodate 21 families. Each family has a private room and bath. In addition, the House has many amenities to make our guests’ stay here as comfortable as possible.
Each guest room is furnished with two twin beds or a queen bed donated by Tempur-Pedic, a telephone, and a private bath stocked with essential toiletries. Linens are provided, and long-term guests are able to exchange linens for a fresh set weekly, but all guests are responsible for cleaning their own room. Rollaway beds, cribs, and other items are available on a limited basis. Handicapped rooms are available upon request.
The Ronald McDonald House provides a shuttle service to each medical center three times a day (subject to availability of volunteer drivers). Due to insurance restrictions, children and individuals under 8 years of age or 57” may not ride the shuttle.
Families stay as little as one night (for a follow-up appointment or testing) or sometimes months. The average length of stay for our guest families is 15 days.
Families whose children are being treated at that Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
Thanks to the generosity of our volunteers and donors, the services of a Ronald McDonald Family Room are provided at no cost.
RMHC of the Bluegrass is neither owned nor fully funded by McDonald’s. Since saying yes to the mission of RMHC in 1974, McDonald’s has been our founding and forever mission partner. Learn more about our relationship with McDonald’s here.
RMHC of the Bluegrass is operated with funds raised through donations made by individuals, organizations, and corporations in the communities we serve. The House is not owned or operated by McDonald’s or any medical institution.
There are many ways to get involved with RMHC of the Bluegrass to support our mission. From donations, to volunteering, to attending our special events, there is an opportunity to suit everyone! Learn more about how to get involved with RMHC here.