Ronald McDonald House: Home for many

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (FOX Providence) - The Ronald McDonald House Providence is a place where families stay while their children are being treated for critical illnesses at Hasbro Childrens Hospital and Women and Infants Hospital. It takes a lot of hands to keep this place running.

The Ronald McDonald House Providence has been helping families in need for decades. Inside there's 18 rooms, two dining rooms, and community areas. But that's far from where it started.

"My brothers and i were on the original board that built the house in 1989. It originally had 13 rooms and with great community support, this house opened debt free," said Nick Cardi of Cardi's Furniture.

With help from local supporters like Cardi's Furniture , The Ronald McDonald House has grown.

"As the need has grown, so has the house. And what we've done is we've furnished the home originally and we've continued to furnish the home as they've added rooms. The last two rooms we added were the hypoallergenic rooms and we were able to work with the staff and give them exactly what they needed so those people could enjoy the home comfortably," said Ron Cardi of Cardi's Furniture.

The goal of The Ronald McDonald House is to provide a home for families in need. Families like the Dearys, who keep close watch on their son, Caleb who spent three weeks in the NICU at Women and Infants Hospital.

"Just an amazing experience. They basically treat you as if you're a family member," said Nicole Dreary, a former resident.

The house not only relies on major supporters, but from individuals as well. It's the volunteers that really make the difference. And the holiday season is a perfect time to get involved.

"The staff and volunteers at The Ronald McDonald House Providence do a wonderful job, but they do have a budget and it's 850,000 annually. So we're looking for eveyone to help. You can call, email, write in to us and let us know what you can do to help the house. Other ways to help are with non-perishable food items and supplies. If they check out the website they can see how they can help," said Pete Cardi.