Ronald McDonald House Announces New Location in Charlestown

Ronald McDonald House Charlestown/photo provided

Every year, numerous families travel to Boston for its world-class hospitals—but that care comes with a high price tag, especially if it necessitates a long-term stay.

Here to help is Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which announced Thursday that it’s adding a new Boston location in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Effective immediately, the charity has taken over the former Home Away Boston facility, and will use it to continue the groups’ missions of offering cost-free, apartment-style residences to the families of children undergoing medical treatment in the city.

“We strive to meet the needs of children and families in our area—whether they are local to New England or visiting hospitals like the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children,” RMHC Eastern New England President Paula Wright said in a statement. “With the new Ronald McDonald House at Boston Harbor, we can deliver on our mission in more impactful ways every day.”

The acquisition will allow RMHC to house twice as many families as Home Away Boston could previously accommodate. That’s important, since many hospitals see high numbers of out-of-state patients. At Boston Children’s Hospital, for example, almost 30 percent of pediatric discharges in 2015 came from other areas.

RMHC also has locations in Brookline and Providence, Rhode Island. See if you qualify for a stay here.