Purpose-built for Temple families in 1986 — and growing with our community ever since.
In the early 1970s, Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill’s daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. Hill and his wife experienced the hardship of camping at hospitals and relying on vending machine food. Seeing similar struggles among other families, Hill mobilized his teammates to raise funds to help.
With backing from Eagles owner Leonard Tose and general manager Jim Murray, the team supported Dr. Audrey Evans’ vision for temporary family housing near The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. McDonald’s regional manager Ed Rensi and local franchisees contributed Shamrock Shake proceeds, and in 1974 the first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia — a seven-bedroom residence on Spruce Street. Today there are more than 375 Ronald McDonald House programs and 265 Ronald McDonald Family Room programs worldwide.
Our House was purpose-built as a Ronald McDonald House in 1986 with seven bedrooms, a kitchen, a laundry area, and shared bathrooms. From the beginning, our board has drawn on the whole community — civic leaders, physicians, bankers, accountants, and media representatives.
In 2002, major donors including the Frank & Sue Mayborn Foundation funded an expansion from seven to nineteen bedrooms, growing the House from 7,000 to more than 22,000 square feet. The improvements added private bathrooms for the original rooms, a second kitchen, expanded laundry facilities, a conference room, and storage — the home away from home that serves Temple families today.
