Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida has officially broken ground on a new $33 million facility near Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

The seven-story, 60,000-square-foot building will nearly double the size of the organization’s current house, which has supported families since 1982. Demand has far outpaced capacity, with 128 families turned away in 2024 alone and average wait times for a room stretching to two weeks.

Once complete, the expanded house will feature 54 private guest rooms along with kitchen and dining spaces, allowing RMHC to provide more than 420 families with over 5,700 nights of free lodging each year. The goal is to ease financial and emotional stress for families with critically ill children receiving care at nearby Holtz Children’s Hospital and Jackson Memorial Hospital.

“This expansion ensures families endure as little additional stress as possible while they concentrate on what matters most—the health of their child and each other,” said Soraya Rivera-Moya, executive director of RMHC South Florida.

The project team includes Camcon Group, Paragon Development, and Justin Architects, with construction expected to finish within two years. The site was made available through a 50-year ground lease from the Public Health Trust of Miami-Dade County for just $1 annually.

Funding for the project is well underway, with $26 million already secured toward the $33 million target. RMHC South Florida has launched the “Hope Has a New Home” campaign to raise the remaining $7 million. The Maestro Cares Foundation, co-founded by singer Marc Anthony, is among the major supporters.

“We believe every child deserves the chance to dream big, and through partnerships like this, we are changing lives and building futures,” Anthony said.

Once the new facility is complete, the original Ronald McDonald House will be returned to the Public Health Trust.

Source:  SFBJ