Courtesy Ronald McDonald House Charities Manitoba

Your support during McHappy Day is showing results.

Ronald McDonald House Charities has opened a new home in Winnipeg.

It has 40 bedrooms, an increase from 14 in the former home.

Chief Executive Officer Wendy Galagan says it is especially important for families from northwestern Ontario needing a place to stay when their children need medical care.

“We take care of that piece of it for families so they can just focus on their child. So they can focus on their child’s health journey, their recovery, as well as, just focus on each other. As a family, you need to stay strong during times of childhood illness. So we’re providing that safety net to that community of care and compassion,” says Galagan.

Ronald McDonald House Charities has had a presence in Winnipeg for 38 years.

The demand for their service led to the need to expand.

Galagan says the needs of children and families have evolved and grown as well.

The new house can now support between 5,110 to 14,600 nights of accommodation for families.

Galagan says roughly 20 to 30 per cent of all visits to the home are from northwestern Ontario families.

“It’s a huge amount of families that we’re serving from that area. So the new house will welcome and serve so many of them.”

Constructions costs were $20.7 million. More than $19.7 million has been raised in what is Ronald McDonald House Charities’ largest fundraising campaign undertaken.

Local McDonald’s franchisees in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, McDonald’s Canada, and RMHC Canada contributed $2.7 million.

Galagan says McDonald’s customers have also played a role with their donations and purchases on McHappy Day.

“We go to McDonald’s, and customers are asked to round up, and customers are asked to buy and purchase and support on McHappy Day, and this really is what all of that support is about,” Galagan. “So when you’re giving, when you are buying that Big Mac or those French fries or that coffee, you know this is really what you’re supporting. You’re supporting families in need during this difficult time.”

The home is located on Juno Street, just a few blocks from the Health Sciences Centre.