The Ronald McDonald House of Southern Colorado, situated in Colorado Springs (311 North Logan - just 1/2 block south of Memorial Hospital), serves all of southern Colorado, western Kansas, and northern New Mexico. The House focuses on families of children with neonatal complications, as Memorial Hospital is the only hospital with a level 3 nursery in southern Colorado. The purpose of the House is to provide emotional support to relatives of sick children and to help eliminate costly hotel bills while providing a secure place to stay, a place where additional strength and stability are received from other families in similar situations.

The House opened on February 14, 1987. The original Task Force was comprised of community volunteers, with significant volunteer and financial contributions from Memorial Hospital, local McDonald's owners and operators, the McDonald's Corporation and the Junior League of Colorado Springs. The house is now owned and operated by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Colorado, Inc., a non-profit corporation. In addition, a corps of community volunteers, working 3 shifts per day, 7 days a week, support the House in many important ways.

The House relies on private contributions and fund-raising efforts for support. However, the families who use the House are asked to make a minimal donation per night for their stay if they can afford it, otherwise they stay for free. This modest fee helps defray a small portion of the operating expenses.

The House has a total of 6,170 square feet over two floors with 9 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 complete kitchens, family room, living room, dining room, laundry room, play room, fenced yard with play area and a Resident Night Manager's apartment. The House was designed so that the bedrooms are comfortable, but not so comfortable that the families would choose to stay in their rooms. By encouraging the families to communicate with each other, a network of support is generated.

Families are responsible for their own grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning and laundering. While the House provides a fully stocked kitchen, it does not provide meals. (However, check out the volunteer opportunities with our House meals program!) Everything in the House is communal except the bedrooms, which the families are responsible for cleaning before leaving.

There is a small staff which includes the Executive Director, the House Manager and the Administrative Assistant/Volunteer Coordinator. The House also has a Resident Night Manager and 5 Weekend Managers. The House Manager is responsible for daily operations of the House between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, while the Resident Night Manager is responsible for operations of the House between 5:00 PM and 9:00 AM, Sunday through Thursday. The Weekend Managers alternate weekends and are responsible for daily operations of the House between 5:00 PM Friday and 5:00 PM Sunday.