Ceremonial Groundbreaking Held on April 30th to Signal Start of Construction on New Stony Brook Ronald McDonald House

On April 30th, we celebrated the groundbreaking of a new Ronald McDonald House at Stony Brook. Thank you to Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Children’s, and everyone who came out to support our commitment to serve more families in Suffolk County and beyond. The Ceremonial Groundbreaking marks the beginning of our public phase of the Capital Campaign and will mark the beginning of site clearing and construction. The new Ronald McDonald House is scheduled to open in 2026.

Pictured (from left to right): CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro **Matthew Campo**, RMHC family Pablo & Laura Santana with daughters Sierra, Sarina and Sara, COO of Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro **Jennifer Nicholson**, RMHC family Courtney Chase & Rebecca Foss with sons **Canyon and Oslo**, and RMHC family Michelle Sheikh and son **Zachary Sheikh**.

For 38 years, RMHC New York Metro and our cornerstone program, Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park, have been creating communities of support to keep families together and near the medical care their ill or injured children need, when they need it most. In 2013 and 2022, RMHC partnered with Stony Brook Children’s Hospital to open two Family Rooms, which provide respite, hospitality, and comfort to families whose children are receiving healthcare. The new Ronald McDonald House in Stony Brook will expand our care programs to provide overnight accommodations to families whose children are receiving life-saving cancer treatments, NICU care, and more at Suffolk County’s only children’s hospital.

Over the years, and only because of the generosity of donors who have supported our cause, we have evolved. We continue to develop programs to meet families’ needs as they face the medical uncertainty and financial stress of caring for their children. Today, RMHC New York Metro serves children throughout Long Island and the greater New York metro area through the operation and financial support of several RMHC programs.

Pictured (from left to right): RMHC New York Metro Board Members **Lisa Kravet and Nick Croce**, RMHC New York Metro Stony Brook Advisory Council Co-Chair **Niki Croce**, RMHC New York Metro Board Chairman **Katie Hunt Rotolo**, RMHC New York Metro CEO **Matthew Campo**, Stony Brook University Hospital CEO and COO **Carol Gomes**, Stony Brook University President **Maurie McInnis**, RMHC New York Metro Board Members **Cynthia Wong-Lippe**, Stony Brook Medicine Executive Vice President Dr. William A. Wertheim.

“The soon-to-be-built Ronald McDonald House will be able to serve as a respite for patients and families whose infant or child is ill by offering a place to stay, food to eat, and a place to rest and recharge that is in close proximity to the hospital. There is nothing more cherished than the ability to be able to focus on the care of your child without having to worry about daily life logistics.”
Carol Gomes, CEO and COO of Stony Brook University Hospital

Thanks to the dedication and support of so many, we have raised $24.4 million towards our Capital Campaign to build a Ronald McDonald House in Suffolk County, but we still have 5.6 million dollars left to raise and look forward to officially beginning construction this year.