05 Oct Our 2005 Expansion Challenge

Our 2005 expansion was a major milestone in developing the House into what it looks like today.

A Challenge We Welcomed

In May 2005, the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware completed a a $4.9 million capital campaign expansion which added an additional 29,000 square feet of much needed space.  This expansion made the House into what it is today, and has become a huge milestone in our 25 years of keeping families close.

Pam Cornforth, the current President and CEO, recalls the challenge of a single donor and how it spurred the growth of the House.

Pam shares:

“It was hard to believe that in just 3 years, we had outgrown our 27 rooms and were turning away nearly 1000 families a year.

In November 2002, I had obtained a rough estimate and learned that $2.2M would be needed to expand the House to 50 rooms, but was concerned about our ability to raise the money.

Peter Davenport of the Davenport Foundation, the President of the Board of Trustees, asked if it might help if he offered a “challenge grant” of $1 Millon. I enthusiastically said that it would. We agreed that in one year, we would need to raise the matching $1 Million. Everyone got to work and we ended up raising more than $4.9M, allowing us to open the expansion on May 4, 2005.

To date, 42,000 families have found comfort, care and support while seeking specialized medical care for their children at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware.”

This expansion not only added additional rooms, but it added several new and needed spaces to the House, including a large dining space, more family kitchens, several new play areas, movie theater, hair salon, and additional offices & meeting spaces.

Photos from 2005 of our Expansion

A newly added play area

Volunteer Offices

Volunteers in the Dining Room