Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester is changing its name to Ronald McDonald House as part of a global rebranding effort aimed at more clearly defining the organization’s mission and role supporting families during medical emergencies.
The Rochester-based organization announced the rebrand will officially launch May 20 and includes a new logo, updated marketing materials, refreshed photography and a broader awareness campaign built around the message that the organization is “more than just a place to stay.”
Organization leaders said the updated branding is intended to better communicate the role Ronald McDonald House plays helping families remain close to hospitalized children and involved in their care.
“Ronald McDonald House helps improve health outcomes by allowing families to stay actively involved in their child’s healthcare,” the organization said in announcing the transition.
President and CEO JoAnne Ryan said the mission itself is not changing despite the new look and messaging.
“Our mission has always been at the heart of everything we do,” Ryan said. “This rebrand allows us to tell that story more clearly and continue to grow the support that makes our work possible.”
The Rochester chapter also became part of the national rebrand campaign through former Ronald McDonald House father Karl Helfner, whose letter about his daughter Iris’ medical journey in Rochester was selected from submissions worldwide to be featured in a national commercial.
Since opening in 1990, Ronald McDonald House Rochester has served thousands of families traveling to Rochester for specialized medical treatment. According to the organization, it provided 9,766 family nights over the past year alone, saving families more than $2.6 million in lodging and meal costs.
The organization said roughly 95% of the families it serves come from elsewhere in New York state for specialized care involving high-risk pregnancies, developmental disabilities, mental health diagnoses and complex pediatric medical cases.
Ronald McDonald House Rochester currently operates its main 24-room house on Westmoreland Drive, a House Within the Hospital program at Strong Memorial Hospital, Family Rooms at Golisano Children’s Hospital and Unity Hospital, hospitality cart services and the House to Home telehealth initiative. Overall, the organization said it serves more than 3,000 families annually.
The new campaign will include billboard advertising, radio spots, print marketing, website updates and social media outreach across the Rochester region.
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