New Ronald McDonald House expected to be ready in December

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Construction of the new Ronald McDonald House near North Druid Hills Road is beginning to progress visibly.

"So, we're essentially substituting an old Ronald McDonald House that was situated close to the Eggleston hospital," explained Marissa Greider, who serves as the senior director of philanthropy for the Atlanta chapter of Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Eggleston, the former location of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta before its move into the new Arthur M. Blank Hospital, is three miles away. That might not seem like a lot, but Atlanta can make it a long mile.

"Traveling three miles through Atlanta traffic can be quite challenging," Greider stated.

The new site is directly beside Arthur M. Blank Hospital.

During the special, one-hour tour of the premises, Atlanta News First got a look at the home’s design as well as the upgrades implemented compared to earlier models.

The new house includes 110 patient rooms, almost double the current capacity; expanded dining options, including specialized areas for children with special feeding needs; and a child’s dream play area.

“One of the crown jewels of the building will be our five-story indoor playscape,” said Greider, pointing to a large opening running from the floor to the ceiling several stories above.

The overall price of the house amounts to $90 million, with only $6 million still outstanding from being raised.

The Atlanta branch of Ronald McDonald House Charities gets approximately 80% of its financial support from contributions, making fundraising events such as the Red Jacket Golf Classic held at The Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta crucial. This money goes toward covering accommodation costs for families in need.

“It just gives us the opportunity to have advanced healthcare better than what’s at home,” said Casey Nash, whose family stays at the house multiple times a year when her son Parker comes for treatment.

The journey from their residence near Rome to Atlanta would be difficult without the support of Ronald McDonald House Charities.

"Depending on traffic, it can take anywhere from three to three-and-a-half hours," Nash stated regarding the traffic situation.

The new facility will give that option to more families, some of whom are put up in hotels due to a lack of space.

Still, the new house marks a large step forward, one that Ronald McDonald House Charities didn’t think they’d be taking so soon.

“we are approximately 15 years ahead of schedule,” Greiger stated.

An additional measure to keep families united.

"In my view, transformative," Nash stated.