The Ronald McDonald House in 1979 and today.

Fred Hill and the Philadelphia Eagles decided to do something about this problem, by teaming up with local McDonald's owner/operators to raise money to purchase and restore a house near the hospital where families could stay.  Hence, the first Ronald McDonald House was born. Since that time, nearly 300 Houses have been built worldwide.

The Ronald McDonald House of the Twin Cities opened on October 2, 1979, in an old university fraternity house that accommodated only eight families each night. A small group of parents, physicians, nurses and McDonald’s owner/operators located the property and raised the money to buy, renovate and operate the original House.  

During the past 30 years, the original House has undergone expansions in 1982, 1988, 1994 and 2002, increasing the number of bedrooms and community areas each time.  Our House currently has 48 bedrooms, state-of-the-art kitchens, a licensed K-12 school, a movie theater, half-court gym, work-out facility and computer lab.  Since 1979, over 6,000 families from all over the United States and the world have benefited from the services and hospitality provided by volunteers and staff of Ronald McDonald House Charities, Upper Midwest.