It’s a promise every parent makes:
I will always be there for you.
But when a child is hospitalized, that promise can suddenly feel fragile.
A medical emergency.
A life-changing diagnosis.
A phone call no parent expects.
In those moments, nothing matters more than being close.
Because an essential part of a child’s healing is knowing their family is nearby.
That is where we step in.
Ronald McDonald House Coastal Empire exists to help remove the barriers that can separate families from their child’s medical care. Through our House and hospital-based programs, we provide more than a place to stay. We provide comfort, stability, support and the ability for families to stay together when it matters most.
This is not simply a place to sleep. It’s a place that keeps families close.
Our Ronald McDonald House in Savannah provides a welcoming place for families to stay while their child receives inpatient or outpatient medical care at an area medical facility.
Families must meet eligibility requirements and receive a referral from the medical facility where their child is receiving care.
Eligibility
Families may be eligible to stay at Ronald McDonald House Coastal Empire when:
Eligibility does not guarantee that a room will be immediately available.
Families do not need to navigate the process alone.
A referral to Ronald McDonald House Coastal Empire should be initiated through the Social Services Department, nurse, case manager or other authorized member of the child’s medical care team at the facility where the child is receiving treatment.
Once a referral is received, our team will review the family’s information, eligibility and current room availability.
Because children’s medical needs and hospital stays can change unexpectedly, room availability can also change quickly. Families are encouraged to have their medical care team submit a referral as early as possible.
Our team will contact the family regarding the status of their request and next steps.
Need a Ronald McDonald House referral?
Please speak with your child’s social worker, nurse, case manager or medical care team.
Demand for rooms often exceeds the number of rooms available at our House.
When that happens, Ronald McDonald House Coastal Empire prioritizes families based on the medical needs and criticality of the child receiving care.
When medical circumstances are comparable, distance from the family’s home to the child’s medical care may be considered.
Our goal is to make each room available to the family with the greatest immediate need while serving as many families as possible.
While staying with us, families have access to more than a private guest room.
Our House is designed to provide some of the everyday comforts of home during an extraordinarily difficult time, including:
Most importantly, families become part of a community that understands why being together matters.
The actual cost of providing a family’s stay is more than $150 per night, but families are never required to cover that cost.
Families who are able may be invited to make a voluntary contribution of $10 per night toward their stay.
A family’s ability to contribute never determines whether they can stay with us.
Generous donors, volunteers, McDonald’s Owner/Operators, customers and community partners make it possible for Ronald McDonald House Coastal Empire to be here for families when they need us.
The health, safety and well-being of every family staying with us is a priority.
All guests are expected to follow current House policies, including health and infectious-disease requirements, guest and visitor guidelines, safety procedures and standards of conduct.
Ronald McDonald House Coastal Empire reserves the right to end a family’s stay when necessary to protect the health, safety or well-being of our families, staff, volunteers and guests.
Detailed House policies and expectations will be reviewed with families as part of the admission and check-in process.
If your child is receiving medical care and you believe your family may need a place to stay, begin by speaking with your child’s social worker, nurse, case manager or medical care team about a referral to Ronald McDonald House Coastal Empire.
For general questions about staying at the House, our team is here to help.
When a child needs medical care, parents shouldn’t have to choose between being close to their child and having a place to rest.
For nearly four decades, Ronald McDonald House Coastal Empire has helped make that possible.
Because when a child is in the hospital, family stays. And we stay with them.
