Ronald McDonald House is a global charity founded in 1974 in the USA as a result of the foresight of an oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dr Audrey Evans envisioned a place where families could live and get proper rest away from the ward while their children were undergoing treatment. Funds to build the first House were raised by the local McDonald’s restaurant and in exchange for their support was named ‘Ronald McDonald House’.
The first Ronald McDonald House in Australia was opened in Camperdown, NSW in 1981. In 2015, Ronald McDonald House Central West NSW opened its first House in Orange, providing a much needed ‘home away from home’ for regional families with sick children.
Our services grew in 2024 with a Hospitality Cart program at the Dubbo Hospital. In 2026 we grew the program to include Bathurst Hospital as well.
McDonald’s Corporate, Licensee’s and their customers continue to support the charity today. Here in NSW, McDonald’s Licensees and their employees across the state are active, passionate supporters of families cared for by Ronald McDonald House.
Each year, McDonald’s Licensees and employees in our region demonstrate extraordinary support for NSW’s sick kids and their families by supporting our team at Ronald McDonald House Central West especially with our:
You can help too by donating at your local Macca’s® Restaurant:
What a night! Thank you to everyone who joined us for our BIGGEST and most special night of the year on Saturday 29 August in Orange.
405 guests helped us celebrate our 11th year since opening Ronald McDonald House in Orange.
We are so excited to announce that we raised a record breaking $435,000 at our 2026 Gala!
This was all made possible with thanks to our kind and generous sponsors, event partners, donors, guests and the Central West community.
2026 Gala – Together Central West NSW
Go to the Gala Ball Page for more video, photos and information
While McDonald’s is our forever and founding partner and our largest corporate partner, we are also an independent charity that relies on many sources of support to fund our growing programs across the country.
This includes donations and volunteering from individuals, communities and corporates, large and small.
