Durham's Ronald McDonald House is planning a $6.7-million expansion that will almost double its capacity, from 29 rooms and suits to 55.
The residence for families with children in treatment at Duke Children's Hospital already has pledges for almost $4 million, Director Bill Donovan said Friday. Groundbreaking is expected before the end of this year and completion in 2013.
Opened in 1980, the Durham facility housed more than 1,200 families last year but was unable to accommodate almost 700 applicants for lack of space.
The house provides kitchen and dining room, computers and Internet access, laundry, play room, library, tutoring for school-age patients, recreation, pet therapy and transportation for patients' relatives for hospital visits and errands.
The money-raising campaign is the largest in the Ronald McDonald House organization's history, according to a prepared statement. Duke Medical Center divisions, Ronald McDonald Charities of North Carolina and local McDonald's owners made have made major donations.
Besides the residence on Alexander Avenue, the Durham Ronald McDonald House operates a "family room" at the Children's Hospital and recently opened a second at WakeMed.
Durham's was the 13th to open, the first in North Carolina and the first to open without sponsorship by a National Football League team. About 4,000 volunteers donate time there.
