October Volunteer Information
Ronald McDonald House St. Louis Brand Refresh
Please see Courtney’s email from October 12th for information on the Ronald McDonald House St. Louis brand refresh, as the official launch of the new branding is Thursday, October 15th. Let us know if you have any questions!
Victim of Violence Families
If you are ever working in the Family Room and ask a family for a patient name and they respond letting you know they are a Victim of Violence family (or any variation of this, black out family, protected family, etc. as they all could identify themselves differently) please let them come in and use the Family Room without any further questions/sharing their name/filling out a registration card. These families do not use or share their name while in the hospital for their own safety/protection. If you ever have questions or concerns while in the Family Room about a situation like this please call the on-call phone number!
Regular Volunteer Shifts
If you are interested in changing or picking up a regular shift, please check your hospital's page for a list of available timeslots and let us know if you are interested in any of those!
Family Room Program Staff
Courtney oversees everything within the Family Room Program, including staff, operations and volunteers. She works closely with our hospital and community partners to ensure we are operating at the highest level possible. When to email/call her: - Concerns regarding your volunteer experience -Concerns regarding guest families -Questions or comments regarding anything within the Family Room Program
Pete oversees the operations for all of the Family Rooms! He ensures the upkeep of appliances and maintenance issues. In addition to this, he tracks inventory for the Rooms and keeps our warehouse stocked. You might see Pete in the Family Rooms taking inventory, testing appliances or covering shifts! When to email him: - Inventory needs - Appliance issues
Cierra recruits, onboards, trains and schedules volunteers. You will hear from her weekly when she sends open shift emails! She also keeps the Volunteer Portal up to date. You will see her in the Family Rooms training new volunteers, checking in on volunteers and covering shifts as needed! When to email/call: - Questions regarding your volunteer schedule or the calendar -Questions about volunteer requirements
Susan is an integral part of our Family Room Team! Working part-time she picks up mostly evening and weekend shifts when volunteers are not available to ensure our doors are open as regularly as possible. Because of the time she spends in the Rooms she is able to build strong relationships with guest families and share perspective on processes/procedures.
Penny is the newest member of our team, taking on her role in late October 2025. Penny works in the same capacity as Susan as an integral part of our Family Room Team! Working part-time she picks up mostly evening and weekend shifts when volunteers are not available to ensure our doors are open as regularly as possible. Because of the time she spends in the Rooms she is able to build strong relationships with guest families and share perspective on processes/procedures.
On-Call Information
Please save the on-call phone number in your phone:
Family Room staff rotates on-call responsibilities weekly. This means someone should always be available, including during evenings and weekends. However, we may not be able to answer in the moment, so please always leave a voicemail when prompted.
The on-call phone number unfortunately does not have the ability to text!
General Contact Info:
Call: 314-930-5292 (do not text)
Email: familyroom@rmhcstl.org
Ronald McDonald Family Room Program
Serving over 60,000 visitors in 2025, when families walk into one of our Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, we want them to feel the comfort and care of our home-away-from-home. Just steps away from in-patient units, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms offer places of refuge to families whose children have been hospitalized because of illness or injury.
Ronald McDonald Family Room Volunteer Role
Although the RMHC Family Room Program is a global program, St. Louis is one of the only chapters to still identify itself as a volunteer-run program. This means we rely on volunteers daily to ensure the doors to our Family Rooms remain open for guest families. Open 9a.m.-9p.m., 7 days a week at four locations within our community. Our 250+ dedicated volunteers allow us to spend the tens of thousands of dollars we would have to pay staff to be in the Family Rooms on what is most important, the needs of our guest families.
What our Family Room Families are Saying
Cardinal Glennon
Family Room
“Thank you to all the kind hearted people who make the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms operate. Having a place to step away and refresh/relax is a great relief during a stressful hospital stay. Every person we interacted with was welcoming, kind and empathetic. Thank you for sharing your time!"
St. Louis Children's Hospital Family Room
"Our family would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the support and kindness the Ronald McDonald Family Room provides. Your generosity during challenging times for the families have made a significant difference in our lives. We will miss watching games with you and cookies on Wednesdays!"
Mercy Children's Hospital Family Rooms
“We would just like to say thank you for what you do for families like mine. It is a true blessing to have this place to count on. For all that you have done and continue to do, a heartfelt thank you."
Family Room Statistics
2025 Totals
5,086
Families served
61,999
Total number of visitors to the Family Rooms
183
Average Daily Visitors
88.5%
Family Room Shifts filled by volunteers and staff
Numbers represent all Family Room locations combined