Ronald McDonald House gives families 'a sense of home'

For families with seriously ill children, one downtown Toronto charity has made life a little bit easier for more than four decades.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities Toronto has provided families a place to stay near The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) since the early 1980s.

“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 fami