Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois® in Peoria. We are thrilled to more than double our impact with the addition of a Peoria Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in the heart of the Peoria medical district! The Peoria RMH serves families with children receiving care at any area medical facility, including OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois and UnityPoint Health. We broke ground in September 2018, with the grand opening on December 16, 2019.

What does the Peoria Ronald McDonald House look like?
The Peoria RMH is about 40,000 sq. ft and four stories. It is located at the corner of Spalding Avenue and NE Monroe Street downtown. The first floor is reserved for community spaces. This includes a large central family/guest kitchen, a 50-person dining room, family room, toy store, game room, arts & crafts room and community room. There is a playground outside with a secure access point. Parking is available in a lot across the street off Spalding.

Check out the amazing playroom located in the Peoria House for our families to use while they’re staying with us!

How many families can stay at the Peoria Ronald McDonald House?
The Peoria RMH has a total of 22 mini-suites available when the doors open, which will be located on the second and third floors of the building. Each mini-suite sleeps up to five guests and includes a private bathroom. The fourth floor will be shelled-out for future expansion.

Why is there so much community space planned?
Community spaces are intentional at the Ronald McDonald House. That’s because in addition to giving families a place to stay, we want families to have a place to reset and recharge, so they can be the best advocate for their child that they can be. Many RMHC of Central Illinois families say the support they get from other RMHCCI families is invaluable in their journey. These community spaces give families a place to build friendships, celebrate victories and offer comfort to one another.

Is there an area dedicated to pediatric cancer patients?
The second floor of the Peoria House is home to the “The Dax Wing” and open to pediatric cancer patients. Fully sponsored by the DAX Foundation, the wing includes five mini-suites, a sitting area, laundry room and playroom that is separate from the rest of the facility to allow immunocompromised visitors a place of their own. The DAX Foundation was founded by Julie Locke to honor her son Dax, who passed away in 2009 from AML M7 leukemia. The foundation is donating and raising $1 million to build The Dax Wing at the Peoria House.