Programs run by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, the 32-bedroom Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald Family Room on the 5th Floor of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt offer a place for parents and family members to relax, refresh and experience the comforts of home while staying close to their sick child.

The House is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. The Family Room is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. each day and both are supported by 7 full time and 6 part- time staff members and more than 200 active volunteers.

The Ronald McDonald House in Nashville, open since July 1991, is a home providing hot meals, laundry facilities and a place to rest. It has all the benefits of a house, such as a playroom, library and 2 kitchens. More importantly, the Ronald McDonald House provides an environment of emotional support from staff members, volunteers and other families who are going through similar circumstances.

Since the House opened, over 10,000 families have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Nashville. In 2008 more than 500 families were served. These families came from all of Tennessee’s 95 counties, 65 counties in Kentucky, as well as 39 other states, two territories and 12 foreign countries.

The Nashville House requests that families pay $15 per night. However, the primary goal is to keep these families together, so we never refuse service because a family is unable to pay. In 2008, 67% could not afford to pay anything and 10% paid only a partial fee. The average monthly occupancy in 2008 was 100%, the average daily waiting list consisted of 6 families and the average length of stay was 19 nights.

In February 2004, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville officially opened Nashville’s first Ronald McDonald Family Room at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. This room is an extension of the House where families and friends of seriously ill children can enjoy a quiet respite from corridors and waiting rooms, whether or not they’re staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

The Family Room includes a comfortable seating area, a kitchen stocked with snacks, a children’s play area, a half bath and the support of caring staff and volunteers. The Family Room has served over 3,600 families since its opening and averages 2,500 visitors per month.