Ronald McDonald House New York
A New York City charitable residence providing temporary accommodation and support services for families of children receiving pediatric cancer treatment.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Ronald McDonald House New York (RMH-NY) is a New York City children's charity that provides temporary accommodation and practical support for families whose children are undergoing treatment for pediatric cancer. The organization operates from an 11-story red-brick building at 405 East 73rd Street on Manhattan's Upper East Side, between First Avenue and York Avenue. Its location places families close to major pediatric medical facilities while giving them a residential setting away from the hospital. The organization was incorporated in 1979, initially as a 26-room facility. It subsequently developed into a 95-room, approximately 79,000-square-foot building constructed in 1989 by the Spector Group. The building includes suites for families and specialized post-transplant accommodation. RMH-NY is described as the only facility in New York City offering post-transplant suites outside a hospital, a service designed for families who need to remain near medical care during a vulnerable stage of recovery. RMH-NY serves families of children from infancy through age 26 who are receiving pediatric cancer treatment. Its role extends beyond lodging. The House provides meals, transportation, tutoring, wellness programming, daily recreational and family activities, and other forms of practical and emotional support. These services are intended to reduce some of the financial, logistical, and emotional pressures associated with prolonged treatment, especially for families traveling from outside New York or from other countries. According to the organization's published descriptions, the House has supported more than 35,000 families from over 70 countries through its 95 suites. The facility is therefore both a local New York resource and an international support destination for families seeking specialized pediatric care in the city. Its programs are designed for children, parents, siblings, and other caregivers, with activities and communal services intended to create a sense of normality during extended treatment periods. Operations depend on a combination of full-time employees, thousands of volunteers, and canine volunteers. Volunteers contribute to hospitality, activities, family support, and the day-to-day environment of the House. A room named for Fred Lebow is among the facility's commemorative or dedicated spaces. RMH-NY is a charitable organization rather than a conventional commercial consumer brand. Although its name is associated with the broader Ronald McDonald House Charities network and the Ronald McDonald identity, its principal public function is nonprofit family support. The organization does not sell a conventional product portfolio; its core offering is temporary housing combined with hospitality, transportation, meals, education, wellness, and community services. As of 2026, Lucretia Gilbert serves as President and Chief Executive Officer.
History
Ronald McDonald House New York was incorporated in 1979 to create a dedicated residence for families of children receiving serious medical treatment in New York City. The original facility contained 26 rooms. Its purpose was to address a recurring problem for families who needed to remain close to pediatric hospitals but did not have a suitable or affordable place to stay during treatment. Over time, the organization expanded its capacity and developed a larger purpose-built facility on East 73rd Street in Manhattan. The current building was constructed in 1989 by the Spector Group. It is an approximately 79,000-square-foot, 11-story red-brick structure containing 95 suites. The building's scale enabled RMH-NY to accommodate more families while also adding communal, educational, wellness, and hospitality spaces. A room known as the Fred Lebow Room is dedicated at the House. The House's service model grew beyond lodging. Families receive access to meals, transportation, tutoring, wellness activities, and organized programs for children and caregivers. These services are intended to provide relief after demanding treatment days and to help families maintain routines, social connections, and educational continuity. The facility also offers post-transplant suites outside a hospital, a specialized form of accommodation for families who need to remain near clinical care after a child's transplant. RMH-NY serves children from birth through age 26 who are undergoing treatment for pediatric cancer. Its reach is international: the organization reports having supported more than 35,000 families from over 70 countries through its 95 suites. This reflects New York's role as a destination for specialized pediatric medicine and the House's function as a temporary community for families traveling from elsewhere in the United States and abroad. The organization's operations rely on staff members, thousands of volunteers, and canine volunteers. Volunteers help sustain the hospitality and family-centered environment that distinguishes the House from ordinary short-term accommodation. Programs and activities are offered to guests of different ages and backgrounds, with the aim of giving families moments of normality and respite during prolonged medical care. RMH-NY operates within the broader Ronald McDonald House Charities ecosystem but is a distinct New York organization. Its identity is associated with the Ronald McDonald House name, while its services are delivered through a local facility and local charitable operations. Unlike a commercial brand, it does not center its activities on retail products or sales. Its principal institutional offering is a coordinated package of temporary housing and family support. As of 2026, the organization's President and Chief Executive Officer is Lucretia Gilbert. The available reference material does not identify earlier chief executives, the organization's founder, or detailed annual financial results. RMH-NY remains an active charitable residence serving families connected to pediatric cancer treatment in New York City.
- 1989
Current Manhattan building constructed
[1]An 11-story, approximately 79,000-square-foot red-brick building designed and built by the Spector Group was completed for the House.
- 1979
Organization incorporated
[1]Ronald McDonald House New York was formally incorporated as a 26-room facility intended to house families of children receiving medical treatment.
Capacity expanded to 95 suites
[1]The organization developed into a 95-suite residence and added family programs, hospitality services, and post-transplant accommodation outside a hospital.
International family-support reach established
[1]RMH-NY reports having supported more than 35,000 families from over 70 countries through its residence and related services.
Products and positioning
A nonprofit family-support residence that keeps families close to pediatric cancer treatment while providing housing, meals, transportation, education, wellness services, and community-based care.
Nonprofit medical-family housing · 1979
Temporary family accommodation
RMH-NY provides furnished temporary accommodation for families of children from infancy through age 26 who are receiving pediatric cancer treatment. The 95-suite residence is designed to keep caregivers and children near medical services while offering a home-like setting, shared amenities, and access to staff and volunteers. The House also includes post-transplant suites outside a hospital for families who need continued proximity to care after transplantation.
Charitable support services
Family support programs
The organization's non-housing services include meals, transportation, tutoring, wellness activities, and daily programs for children, parents, siblings, and caregivers. These services help families manage the practical demands of treatment and provide opportunities for recreation, learning, and emotional relief during extended stays.
Sources2 sources
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