As a nonprofit organization,Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Intermountain Area provides comforting, supportive and healing spaces for families while their children receive high quality care at Utah hospitals.
Its staff and volunteers do everything possible to help ease day-to-day burdens so that families can focus on the most important thing – their children's health and well-being.
That's something that Michelle Gross knows firsthand. Her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter Isabella is the recipient of a heart transplant.
Isabella was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition that meant one of her heart ventricles did not fully develop.
Isabella had three surgeries and was ultimately placed on the heart transplant list in February 2022.
She stayed at Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital for over eight months and during that time, mom, dad and brother stayed at the Ronald McDonald House and used the Family Room programs.
She received the sacred gift of a heart in October 2022 and was able to go home for the first time to her new house in Utah in November 2022.
Her amazing mother, Michelle, has a desire to give back to RMHC for all of the love and support they received during this difficult time and served as a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House to help other families when they need it most.
After coming home for about a month, Isabella and her family found themselves back in the hospital with complications.
More recently, she has been diagnosed with other conditions that have required continued long-term hospital stays.
Her health journey continues today but her bright smile and resilient spirit will never be dampened.
Her family continues to find comfort, resources and hope in the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms.
Carrie Romano, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities Intermountain Area, says thanks to generous donations from supportive Utah companies and individuals, they can provide the support families like Isabella's need during the most difficult times.
She says the Ronald McDonald House is a home-like environment where people can get a hot meal (in 2024 alone more than 77,000 meals were prepared by volunteers).
Guests can also find other helpful services at the Ronald McDonald House, like mental and emotional health resources.
In fact, Regence BlueCross BlueShield's charitable arm has funded a behavioral health specialist to provide ongoing support at the house since 2020.
The need is more pressing now than ever, and occupancy rates are high at all Ronald McDonald House locations.
You can pitch in and help! Get involved by volunteering, participating in the meal prep program and donating. Donations are 100 percent tax deductible.
You can also take part in the annual fundraiser gala, "Building Hope... One Brick at a Time".
It's happening on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 5:30pm at the Grand America Hotel.
Learn more and get tickets at rmhcslc.org/events/gala.
