Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwestern Ontario is a 3-Star charity. It has a C Results Reporting grade, which is below average. For every dollar donated to the charity, 72 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci's reasonable range. The charity has enough reserve funds to cover 4.3 years of its program costs.

Founded in 1985, Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwestern Ontario (RMHC SWO) provides affordable accommodations for families of sick children who must travel to receive medical care at hospitals in London and Windsor. The charity is formally known as Southwestern Ontario Childrens Care Inc. RMHC SWO is one of 12 Ronald McDonald House Chapters in Canada that operate 16 Ronald McDonald Houses, 17 Family Rooms, and one Care Mobile across the country.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwestern Ontario runs two Houses and one Family Room. RMHC SWO provided 11,369 overnight stays across its two locations in F2022; however, the charity does not report the number of families or clients served. The charity served 235 communities in F2022. 21% of families served were from Windsor, 15% were from London, and the remaining 64% were from surrounding communities.

RMHC SWO’s London House received 66% of program costs in F2022. It is located near London Children’s Hospital, allowing parents to remain close to their children receiving treatment. The House has 40 private bedrooms. Besides London Children’s Hospital, it is also close to University Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital. Eligible families must live at least 40 km from the House and be referred by the hospital where their child (aged 19 or younger) is receiving treatment. 

RMHC SWO’s Windsor House was 24% of program costs in F2022. It is located within Windsor Regional Hospital and is the first Canadian House located within a hospital. Being within the hospital is particularly important for families of children receiving care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). These infants often receive round-the-clock care. Being able to reside within the hospital helps parents stay close to their child throughout treatment, particularly for NICU patients who require frequent feedings. The House has seven private bedrooms, with two meant for short stays. Eligible families must be referred by Windsor Regional Hospital. A Day Pass program runs within the Windsor House to provide programming similar to the London Family Room. In F2022, there were 1,536 visits to the day pass program, who used the space for daytime naps, shower access, laundry services, and food and beverages.

RMHC SWO’s London Family Room was 10% of program costs in F2022. It is located on the sixth floor of London Children’s Hospital. The Room is open from 9am to 9pm every day. It also has three private bedrooms for overnight stays, available for families with a medical referral. 

Both Houses ask families to contribute $12 per night, although eligibility does not depend on this contribution.

RMHC SWO received $3.7m in donations and special events revenue in F2022. The charity has a $779k investment loss in F2022. Administrative costs are 11% of revenue (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 17% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 28%. For every dollar donated to the charity, 72 cents are available to go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.

RMHC SWO has $9.7m in reserve funds. Its reserve funds can cover 431%, or four years and four months of its annual program costs. This indicates the charity does not have a need for funding.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwestern Ontario for review. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 5, 2023 by Liam Chapleau.