If you have a sick child in the hospital, the very last thing you’re thinking about is getting a good night’s sleep. While it’s never easy to sleep in a strange, new place anyway, the folks at Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Greater Washington, DC, make it their mission to help families by providing a space they can call home while their children are in the hospital.
“Sometimes we have families whose child has a chronic condition and they are regularly in and out of the hospital,” said Kris Ritter, chief of staff for Ronald McDonald House of Greater Washington, DC. “They’re used to that lifestyle, which is heartbreaking. So, when they come here to Ronald McDonald House, it’s hopefully a bit of a respite for them and a place where they can unwind for a little bit and take a breath.”
During the remodeling and renovation of the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Washington, DC, Mattress Warehouse donated all new mattresses, headboards, frames, and more so families can get the rest they need.
“Sleeping, and the impact of sleep, people don’t realize how much that impacts your everyday life,” said Tracy Jones, vice president of marketing for Mattress Warehouse. “These families need rest; they need to recover so they can fight this battle again tomorrow. We have the product, they have the need, it just makes sense for us to do the right thing.
“We’ve always given back to the community and we typically do it in one of two ways: either through military or through children and families. The Ronald McDonald House, that’s right up our ally with helping children and families here.”
The Ronald McDonald House of Greater Washington, DC, was built in 2010 and originally had just 24 rooms, according to Ritter. After the renovation, the house now has 32 rooms, including four isolation suites.
“It makes a big difference when someone can have a good night’s sleep,” Ritter said. “It seems like such a little thing, but it’s a big thing. It’s a big thing when we have families who come in here for the sole purpose of getting a good night’s rest. Now we have beautiful beds for them to sleep in and wonderful mattresses. That’s huge for us, a non-profit that relies on the kindness of individuals and companies and we’re really grateful.
“The gift of the beds, the mattresses, the whole thing, the frames, the headboards – it’s wonderful and it’s going to allow us to serve families in their time of need and provide them with a comfortable place to sleep and truly rest their head. They don’t have a lot of opportunity to do that. Our mission to is serve those families and we’re so grateful to have a partner in Mattress Warehouse.”