Home for families of critically ill children to open in Shreveport

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The Ronald McDonald House, a charity providing a free haven for families of critically ill hospitalized children, is opening a new location in Shreveport.

Ronald McDonald Houses across the country help family members stay by their child’s bedside while they’re receiving hospital treatment. The facility provides free lodging, food, daily essentials and transportation.

Their new three-story 26,000 sq. ft. center includes 22 family suites. The Family Pantry will be stocked with breakfast, lunch and snack items. Dinner will be provided nightly; parents can even take a break at the coffee bar.

“The property for this Ronald McDonald House has been generously donated by Willis-Knighton Health System, with the understanding that the house will serve families with a critically ill child in any Shreveport hospital. The location is adjacent to the Willis-Knighton South campus (Bert Kouns Industrial Loop location). If families need transportation to and from their child’s hospital, Ronald McDonald House Shreveport-Bossier will provide it at no cost to them,” said Emily Piechocki, Development Director of Ronald McDonald House Charities Arkansas.

For nearly two decades, Shreveport philanthropist and local McDonald’s franchise owner Roy Griggs has advocated for building a Ronald McDonald House in Shreveport. He is leading an effort to raise $10 million to open the facility in 2025.

On Thursday, Carter Credit Union will donate $100,000 as the Ronald McDonald House Shreveport-Bossier technology sponsor. Joe Arnold, Chief Executive Officer of Carter Credit Union, said they immediately resonated with the decision to become a donor.

“Carter is a locally owned FI that truly believes in supporting local. It was important to us to stand with Willis Knighton, that has supported our local communities for 100 years. We are very supportive of events in all the markets we serve, but this is something that Carter can be a part of that will help others for a lifetime, so we are proud to be a part of this.”

He says anyone could be impacted, and they want to do their part to protect children in the area. He believes the new facility will also bring a positive economic impact by creating local jobs. His decision to support the new Ronald McDonald House is also personally meaningful.

“I practically grew up at McDonald’s as a kid, and as a result, I was also very much aware of the Ronald McDonald House as a young child. So now fast forward all these many years later, and I have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of helping to bring a Ronald McDonald House to our area. That’s really cool to me, and I know that others here at Carter have a similar story that makes this charity a little more personal.”

Piechocki says the new location will be the largest Ronald McDonald House in Louisiana and the first in Northwest Louisiana. They estimate 24,090 adults and children will use the house annually. Families may stay a few nights to several weeks or months, depending on their child’s treatment. Even families not staying the night can freshen up with a shower, wash laundry, grab a snack and a cup of coffee with a “day pass.” They estimate an additional 5,400 families will use a day pass at the facility each year.

According to Piechocki, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas will hire local businesses and professionals in the Shreveport-Bossier area as the project moves forward and opens to families.

Currently, they have received $3.7 million in donations. To ensure a solid start to the program, they plan to cover the first three years of operating expenses by raising $10 million. Piechocki says they expect to open the Shreveport-Bossier location in Q1 of 2025.