NEW YORK— Giving seriously sick kids and their families a “home-away-from-home” is what Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland does.
At the 13th Annual Red Shoe Shuffle 5K Run and Walk on Sunday morning, they raised almost $500,000, which was a record amount of money.
A lot of people run and walk almost every year to help families living at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland.
The 5k run begins at the Ronald McDonald House’s “Big Red Heart” and winds its way through downtown Baltimore, along the harbor, and back to the House.
Ryan Marsh, 15, ran in the shuffle this year and knows a lot about Ronald McDonald House.
“It’s just nice to know that there are people that care and that you’re not alone,” he said.
For the Red Shoe Shuffle and to show how much this place changed their lives, Marsh’s family is back in Baltimore from Virginia.
“When I was born, I had a stroke and it caused me to have left cerebral palsy,” he said. “And one of my kidneys burst.” We came up here to see the doctor, and the Ronald McDonald House was just a place for us to stay.
As a child, Marsh’s mother said that they stayed at RMDH for more than 100 nights while he got medical care in Baltimore.
He and his family put on their running shoes to run this race and visit their home away from home now that he is an adult.
There are 2,500 people in the neighborhood who run, and about 450 of them are direct family members of Ronald McDonald House. “They are staying with us now or have stayed with us before,” Sandy Pagnotti, CEO and President of Ronald McDonald House Charities Maryland, said.
The Red Shoe Shuffle was sold out for the first time in over ten years. To keep helping families, the RMDH community raised almost $500,000.
“You know, the circumstances that bring families to us are sad and tough, but the house is a joyful happy place with support and love and community,” Pagnotti said.
“I love this spot. Marsh said, “I love the people who work here, and I pray that they keep doing great things.”
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland is the only Ronald McDonald House in Maryland. Since it opened in 1982, it has been home to more than 40,000 families.
Six hospitals in the Baltimore area treat families who stay at the House. These families come from all over the world to get medical care.
In 13 years, Red Shoe Shufflers have earned over $4.2 million.
