McDonald’s Australia has been supporting the work of Ronald McDonald House Charities since 1981 and will continue to do so for generations to come.
Ronald McDonald House Charities 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 Charities 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.
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 Charities.
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:
On Saturday 8th November 2025 we celebrated with our valued forever and founding partners, McDonald’s and over 370 guests at Banksia in Orange. Watch the highlight video above which played on the night, honouring the 50th Anniversary of McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House Charities globally. It’s incredible to see the evolution and journey undertaken across the global since 1974.
Thank you to our Board Members, Jenny McLeod and Daimon Poole for their ongoing support and involvement representing McDonald’s within our Chapter at Ronald McDonald House Central West NSW.
Go to the Gala Ball Page for more video, photos and information
Daimon Poole
Ronald McDonald House Central West NSW Board Member and McDonalds Franchisee owner – Orange NSW
Jenni McLeod
Ronald McDonald House Central West NSW Board Member and McDonalds Licensee, Parkes and Forbes
While McDonald’s is 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 indivduals, communities and corporates, large and small.
Parents don’t know when their children will need medical help. But they should know they can always access the care they need. And with your help, we can support them all throughout their journey.
