While most families associate the face of the famous clown with quick and affordable meals, millions also see Ronald McDonald as the face behind a completely different manner of affordability. With approximately 690 core programs worldwide, Ronald McDonald House Charities have been assisting in partially easing financial burdens for families with sick children across the globe. One Washington County family has taken it upon themselves to join the mission of RMHC by rallying support for the cause in their community.
When she was six and a half months pregnant, Amanda Higinbotham-Fife received news no parents want to hear—her unborn daughter was diagnosed with Dextro-Transposition of the Great Arteries (d-TGA). D-TGA is a congenital heart defect where the two major arteries carrying blood out of the heart are switched in position. Jaelyn, Amanda’s youngest daughter, had to undergo open-heart surgery when she was only one week old in June 2022.
While Jaelyn recovered at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Amanda and her husband, Marshall, stayed at the Ronald McDonald House Charity. The RMHC is connected to the hospital, so they were only a five-minute walk away from their baby.
“During our stay, RMHC gave us everything we needed!” Amanda says. “Paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, napkins, forks, trash bags, you name it, they gave it to us. We’re very grateful for them as we didn’t have to leave to go out and buy those things during such a difficult time.”
RMHC additionally gave them common supplies, such as laundry pods and household supplies. The organization helps to take care of the small day-to-day costs and distractions so that parents and families can focus on their sick children. Even just the relief of not acquiring these small supplies allows parents to be more available for their child undergoing care, which makes all the difference to both the parents and the child.
“As we left the hospital to take our daughter home for the first time, my husband and I both said we have to give back and plan something. Last year, we held a paper product drive at our local church and this year we held a paper product donation drive at local businesses within Greene, Washington, and Fayette counties.”
Beth-Center Elementary School and California Area Elementary also helped push this second drive. In October, they delivered their collection of paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, paper plates, napkins, etc. to RMHC-Pittsburgh. The drive was a great success, and they were told it was the biggest delivery so far in the month.
It’s people like Amanda and Marshall who prove every person and community can contribute to causes with a real impact on others’ lives. Just one pack of paper towels can save a family a few more dollars to go towards saving their child or helping them recover. Those few dollars add up.
Amanda and her family plan to host future drives in the years to come to pass on the kindness that strangers once showed them.