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How Canada Wins: The charity helped more than 4,300 families across all of its programs and services last year.
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For families with seriously ill children, one downtown Toronto charity has made life a little bit easier for more than four decades.
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The Ronald McDonald House Charities Toronto has provided families a place to stay near The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) since the early 1980s.
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“We give families what they need most in one of the most difficult moments of their lives: a sense of home and stability,” Ronald McDonald House Charities Toronto CEO Louise Smith said in an email exchange.
“When a child is seriously ill or injured and needs treatment far from home, parents and siblings are often uprooted with very little notice. Our House becomes a safe, welcoming place where families can stay close to the hospital, enjoy a warm meal, and find support from staff, volunteers, and other families who really understand what they’re going through.”
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The charity’s headquarters at 240 McCaul St. is also where families stay while their child receives much-needed care, an 81-bedroom house that is a short walk from SickKids and other hospitals. It is part of a network of seven Ronald McDonald Family Rooms in five hospitals across the GTA and in Sudbury, including Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga, the Scarborough Health Network and Markham Stouffville Hospital.
“These are special spaces right inside hospitals, where parents can rest, grab a meal, shower, do a load of laundry, or even sleep overnight without leaving their child’s side,” Smith said.
Smith, who previously worked in leadership and senior roles in the non-profit sector for nearly 25 years, was hired earlier in 2025 to lead the organization. Smith commented at the time that she had admired the charity “for their unwavering commitment to serving families with sick children.”
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The Ronald McDonald House Charity has touched many people across the country. According to the organization, one in four Canadians have either stayed in accommodations run by the charity or know someone who has.
Smith said the charity will be adding more living spaces as the need for its services continues to grow every year, adding that families are travelling farther for specialized pediatric care.
“This fall, thanks to our very generous donors, we’re opening our second Ronald McDonald House Family Room at SickKids, right in the heart of Canada’s busiest pediatric hospital,” Smith said. “It will serve thousands of families ever year, giving parents a place to rest and recharge without ever leaving their child’s side.”
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Ronald McDonald House dates back to April 1981 when it first opened its doors at 365 Dundas St. W. to families with children receiving cancer treatment in the city, the first of its kind in Canada.
The concept was spearheaded by the late George Cohon, an American-born Canadian businessman who was the founder and senior chairman of McDonald’s Canada, after the first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974 to assist families travelling for pediatric care.
Moving to its present site in 2011 has helped the charity serve many more families at its hotel-style rooms and small apartments than at its previous location on Gerrard St. Last year, Ronald McDonald House helped more than 4,300 families across all of its programs and services.
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Providing a home away from home for families whose child is either seriously ill or injured, the charity presently offers accommodations, nutritious meals, a private school for children in kindergarten to Grade 12, and wellness programs.
And this week, class is back in session.
“I’m grateful to our incredible educators and everyone who helps make this possible,” Smith said. “They give kids something steady to hold onto when everything else is changing.”
Ronald McDonald House Toronto School is recognized by Ontario’s Ministry of Education and staffed by certified teachers. It’s open to patients and siblings who are currently staying at the home.
Smith said the on-site school and education programs helps patients return to their regular classrooms at the end of their treatment “without the stress of falling behind,” while siblings can keep up with their homework during their temporary stay.
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“We know how important school is — not just for learning, but for giving kids a sense of routine and normalcy in the middle of a health crisis,” she added.
In addition to the school, the charity also operates a wide range of wellness and activity programs, including massages, woodworking, crafts, cooking, and even pet therapy.
“They may sound simple, but for families under stress, these small moments of joy mean the world,” Smith said. “I hear it all the time from parents: it’s not just the meals or the roof over their head — it’s the kindness, the understanding, and the community that help them get through the hardest days.”
— We love where we live, and throughout the summer, we are running a series of stories that highlight what makes our community unique and special within Canada. Follow along with “How Canada Wins” right here.
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