Breaking ground on the first Ronald McDonald House in NW Louisiana

In October 2023, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) announced a capital campaign to make a new Ronald McDonald House a reality in north Louisiana.

At the time, Roy Griggs, CEO of Griggs Enterprises and a McDonald’s operator, said, “There is a great need in Northwest Louisiana for families to have a free place to stay and receive the support they need during their child’s hospitalization. There are 386 Ronald McDonald Houses in the world, and it is time our community had one, too.”

That sentiment is closer to reality as RMHC announced that ground will be broken for the new facility April 3.

The three-story structure, located on the campus of Willis Knighton South, will provide free accommodations for about 20 families every night. Each family staying in the house will have access to a private, double-queen room and daily essentials such as laundry facilities. They will also have the benefits of indoor and outdoor play spaces, a family great room and a spacious kitchen, dining room and pantry.

The house will be available to families with children in any local hospital, not just Willis Knighton. Volunteer groups from this area will provide meals and transportation to and from the other hospitals.

“This will be the first Ronald McDonald House in Northwest Louisiana,” said Louisiana native and Ronald McDonald House Shreveport-Bossier mission director Lori Moore. “We’re so excited to be able to provide a home away from home for families of critically ill children who are seeking treatment at all local Shreveport-Bossier hospitals.”

Janell Mason, CEO of RMHC for Arkansas and North Louisiana, invited local businesses and individuals to contribute to the “Where Hope Has a Home” campaign to raise the money necessary to complete the home. “Ronald McDonald House Shreveport-Bossier will serve as a beacon of hope for families facing unimaginable challenges, offering a warm and welcoming environment where they can find respite and support during difficult times,” she said.

She explained that since the first Ronald McDonald House opened in Little Rock in 1981, RMHC has provided an estimated $47 million in free lodging, meals, and support for more than 48,000 families from Arkansas and surrounding states across America and other countries.

Go to rmhcar-nla.org for more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas & North Louisiana and to donate to the “Where Hope Has a Home” campaign to construct Ronald McDonald House Shreveport-Bossier.

In our March 6 edition, we incorrectly identified the ownership of Monjunis of Bossier City. The owner is Lisa Cariere Susan. We apologize for the error.