SEATTLE — The Seattle Ronald McDonald House is asking for support and donations for the families staying there.
The Ronald McDonald House gives families from out of town a place to stay near Seattle Children’s Hospital while their kids receive treatment. About 80 families stay there at any given time.
The RMH is running short of cleaning supplies, and looking for donations to help support families staying there. They’re asking for donations of high efficiency laundry detergent (must be high-efficiency), paper towels, bleach and Clorox wipes. They’re also running low on thermometers, gloves, masks, alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer.
It's especially critical for the RMH since: "All of our residents have immune-compromised children," their website says.
Heather Bauer, director of annual giving, said the need was compounded by the coronavirus outbreak. When supplies ran short, suppliers limited how much they could buy. And for families already helping a child fight serious illnesses, they need to know their spaces are being kept clean.
“The uncertainty and panic that we are all feeling on a daily basis is something these families feel everyday,” said Bauer. “So I feel like I can start to relate to them a lot more than I could two weeks ago.”
Seattle RMH is asking donors to drop supplies on their front steps to reduce contact and the risk of spreading coronavirus.
Monica Howard came by Thursday to drop off some supplies. She said her daughter has been a longtime volunteer at the house, and she’s seen the need families there have – some of them coming from out of state with just the clothes on their backs.
“Very simple thing, big Costco thing of paper towels and three pack of Clorox wipes. How easy is that?” said Howard. “Very easy. Doable.”
“We’re all in this together, we all need to pitch in,” she said. “This is our neighborhood, the hospital is in our neighborhood. We have to support them.”
The Seattle Ronald McDonald House is located a few blocks from Seattle Children’s. The address for donation drop-offs is: 5130 40th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98105.