The annual Red Socks Golf Day was held yesterday, raising significant funds for the continued operation of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) South Africa.
This event underscores a commitment to providing support and comfort to families during their most challenging times. RMHC South Africa is an independent non-profit organisation, governed by a Board of Directors, and operated by staff and volunteers.
RMHC South Africa was established in 2012 and is part of the global network of Chapters that keep families with sick children close to each other and the medical care they need through programs like the Ronald McDonald House™ and Ronald McDonald Family Room program. Over 94 percent of leading hospital partners agree that RMHC reduces stress and financial burden for families, and helps their hospitals deliver the best care possible.
Key Achievements and Services:
⢠The Ronald McDonald House in Nelson Mandela Childrenâs Hospital, Parktown, Johannesburg, offers 27 hotel-style rooms for families traveling more than 60 kilometers to receive specialist medical care for their children. Families are provided with private bedrooms and access to common spaces, including a kitchen, dining room, family lounge, games room, library, and laundry facilities.
⢠The 27 rooms are a remembrance of the years ex-president Dr. Nelson Mandela spent incarcerated.
⢠Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, opened on November 28, 2013, serve families with children in the NICU and Ward 66. These rooms provide a homely environment where parents, guardians, carers, and siblings can stay while their sick or injured child receives treatment.
⢠Over the past 12 years, the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms have supported more than 26,000 families and children, offering beverages, snacks, and non-clinical programs to mothers.
⢠Since 2018, the Ronald McDonald House has provided 35,083 bed nights, serving 3,266 families. The average stay for a family in 2023 was 12.52 days, with the house maintaining an 88% occupancy rate in 2024.
⢠Year-to-date the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms have welcomed 513 families, with a total of 270,198 registered visits since inception.
âThe organization was formed by a community of people, including McDonaldâs South Africa and its franchisees, who understood the need to improve the lives of children and their families during difficult times,â says Jo-Ann Joffe, CEO of RMHC.
âOur priority is to bring families close to their sick children; we house the parents of the sick children who are in the hospital,â said Jo-Ann. Greg Solomon, CEO of McDonaldâs South Africa, expressed his gratitude for the communityâs support and the suppliers of McDonaldâs South Africa who make the event a success.
âEvents like the Red Socks Supplier Golf Day are crucial for the ongoing success of RMHC South Africa. The funds raised today will help us continue to provide a âhome away from homeâ for families during their most difficult times.
Our goal is to ensure that families can stay close to their hospitalised children, which we know aids in the healing process.â
RMHC South Africa continues to make a significant impact, offering a safe, comforting environment for families while their children receive critical medical care.
The organisationâs dedication to supporting these families is unwavering, and events like the Red Socks Golf Day help ensure that this vital work can continue
