Ronald McDonald House® Central and Northern Arizona Opens First Family Room in the Valley

For families with a child in intensive care, every moment matters — and so does every step. That’s why the opening of the first Ronald McDonald House Family Room in the Valley marks a meaningful milestone for parents and caregivers navigating some of their most difficult days.

On March 2, Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona opened its first in-hospital Family Room at Banner Children’s at Thunderbird in Glendale.

The new space is designed to provide comfort and support for families with children receiving care in the hospital’s 36-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and 17-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The 710-square-foot Ronald McDonald House Family Room offers families a peaceful retreat without requiring them to leave the hospital. The majority of construction costs were offset by a generous $200,000 contribution from Erika and Roger Greaves Youth Angels, helping bring the $375K project to life.

Inside, the Family Room was designed to feel calm and welcoming. The space includes a reception area, lounge, kitchenette stocked with coffee and snacks, wi-fi access, laundry amenities, and a private lactation room. Two dedicated napping bays feature massage chairs and noise-canceling headphones, giving parents and caregivers a chance to rest and recharge during long hours spent at their child’s bedside.

“When a child is receiving critical care, proximity matters,” said Kerry Schulman, President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona. “This Ronald McDonald House Family Room is about providing families a place to pause, take a deep breath and decompress without having to leave the hospital.”

The Family Room layout was designed by Interiors In Design, with architectural support from HKS and construction completed by Kitchell – a collaborative effort aimed at creating a space that prioritizes comfort, dignity and renewal. For hospital leaders, the addition underscores a broader commitment to whole-family care.

“Care doesn’t just mean doctors and nurses helping patients get better; it also extends to family members and their well-being,” said Anthony DiBella, interim chief executive officer of Banner Children’s at Thunderbird. “This Family Room will provide a welcome source of rest and support for parents who are often exhausted while their children are in the hospital.”

The Family Room will be open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with plans to expand hours as volunteer coverage grows. Volunteers will play an essential role in welcoming families, offering assistance and maintaining the space.

“The board and staff at Ronald McDonald House Central and Northern Arizona are grateful to the leadership team at Banner Health for their partnership and commitment to allocating space for the new Family Room,” Schulman said. “Families will benefit from this model for many years to come.”

For those facing the uncertainty of intensive care, the new room represents something simple yet powerful: a nearby place to breathe, regroup and gather strength, without ever being far from the child who needs them most. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit ronaldmcdonaldhousecnaz.org.