The Ronald McDonald House Charities.

For Alpha Delta Pi, this is our philanthropy. We chose them as our philanthropy before they even became a charity and have worked with them for thirty years now, raising millions of dollars towards this noble cause. I've yet to make my first visit to the Ronald McDonald House, but I know that it'll be a life-changing experience.

So, here's a explanation of the history, how it works, and how you can get involved.

According to the Ronald McDonald House Charities website, the first Ronald McDonald House was created in Philadelphia on October 15, 1974. It was created mainly by Fred Hill, former Eagles' football player, for his daughter Kim Hill, who was suffering from leukemia (Ms. Hill recently passed in 2011 at age 44). Mr. Hill had help from Dr. Aubrey Evans, Eagles' owner Jim Murray, and Ed Rensi, the regional manager of McDonald's.

Now, many people believe that McDonald's owns the charity or is directly affiliated, but neither are true. McDonald's is a big benefactor and a founding mission partner, but they do not own any of the Ronald McDonald Houses or the charity itself. (Fun fact: according to McDonald's website, when the Shamrock Shakes were first introduced, all profits went to starting the first Ronald McDonald House.)

Back to the history, the Ronald McDonald House Charities officially became a charity in 1984, in memory of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc.

Much has happened since then, so I'll cover the highlights: the first European Ronald McDonald House Charity was opened in 1985 in the Netherlands, the 100th Ronald McDonald House was opened in 1986 in New York, the Minneapolis Ronald McDonald house starts the Pop Tab Program in 1987, the 200th Ronald McDonald House was opened in 1999 in Hungary, and the 300th was opened in St. Louis in 2010.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities have gone through a lot in the over thirty years they've been active and have helped thousands of families through their work. So, what exactly do they do?

The Ronald McDonald House is actually for the family of the child with a terminal illness. The family is allowed to stay for as little as one night and as long as a year, and although they are encouraged to make a donation, the stay is not paid for by the family. This is so the family can stick together if they have to travel to receive treatment for their child and cannot afford to travel with the child--a "home away from home".

Their mission is "to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health an well-being of children." Similar to their mission, their vision is that "RMHC is the catalyst to create a world where children have access to quality health care and their families are able to better comfort and support them while actively participating in their care." As you can see, their focus is ultimately on the health and well-being of a child.

Many houses allow volunteers, and that is one great way to get involved. You can help cook meals, clean the house, or even play with the kids and meet with the families as part of your volunteering experience. But your involvement to better the Ronald McDonald House Charities can be as simple as going to McDonalds for dinner and putting your change in one of the boxes by the register. The next time you stop by the golden arches, think about what giving your change to the charity could do for it.

Having the Ronald McDonald House Charities become the philanthropy I'm involved in has helped me develop an appreciation for all their hard work, and learning about it increases my appreciation for it.

I hope my fellow ADPis can agree that they really are a great philanthropy and charity overall.