$285,850 grant from The John M. O’Quinn Foundation to establishes Family Support Services Manager who will serve families staying in the TMC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Lisa Estes, Chief Advancement Officer
lestes@rmhhouston.org / 713-412-4240

JOHN M. O’QUINN FOUNDATION GRANT COMISSIONS NEW SOCIAL WORK MANAGER POSITION AT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE HOUSTON

New role will better connect families visiting RMH Houston facilities with supportive services

[Houston, Texas – December 2021] – Ronald McDonald House Houston (RMH Houston) announces the establishment of The John M. O’Quinn Foundation Family Support Services Manager that will assist the 70 families staying at the RMH Houston Holcombe House location, which serves families in the Texas Medical Center. Funded largely by a $285,850 grant from The John M. O’Quinn Foundation, the position will deepen RMH Houston’s comprehensive care model by offering more available support services that ease the mental, emotional, and day-to-day strains of families visiting RMH Houston facilities.

“The families that stay with us are often overwhelmed. Each day brings another challenge and another appointment. It takes a lot of strength to cope,” said Cristina Vetrano, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Houston. “Some also face financial struggles, having left jobs and traveled to care for their ill child. The John M. O’Quinn Foundation’s generosity will help to ensure that our families have more than a bed to sleep on and food to eat. RMH Houston’s social work staff will provide guidance and support during incredibly stressful days.”

Primarily, the duties of the Family Support Service Manager position will include: helping children and families confront and cope with difficulties; identifying and prioritizing needs; and developing plans for their future – whether their future includes ongoing treatment, returning to school and work after completing treatment, or coming to terms with loss. Additionally, the Family Support Services Manager will oversee the social work interns from various local universities.

“The John M. O’Quinn Foundation is proud to bring this critical service to children and families at RMH Houston,” said Robert C. Wilson, III, Foundation President. “Guests of RMH Houston spend their days focused on their physical health, and RMH Houston has always served as a respite – a place where families find emotional comfort and supportive resources. The Family Support Services Manager and team will take those services even further, helping families develop strengths and resources to cope with their current diagnoses while establishing plans for their future.”

The incorporation of the Family Support Services Manager position will allow for families at RMH Houston to have more available, on-site access to much-needed services and resources that aim to improve quality of life, psychosocial outcomes, and clinical outcomes, while also connecting families to critical resources. Additionally, The John M. O’Quinn Foundation gift will enable the House to sustain the MSW position in perpetuity, ensuring that families visiting Ronald McDonald House Houston will always receive the care and support that they need.

If you would like to learn about other opportunities that will support and build this program, please contact lestes@rmhhouston.org.

About Ronald McDonald House Houston: Founded in 1978, the mission of Ronald McDonald House Houston is to offer a home away from home providing care, compassion, and hope to families with seriously ill children being treated in Texas Medical Center (TMC) member institutions. Located in the 4th largest metro area in the United States and immersed in the largest medical center in the world, RMH Houston welcomes children and families at our flagship facility, Holcombe House, with 70 bedrooms, and Houses, Family Rooms, Lounges, and private bedrooms inside Texas Children’s Hospital, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, and MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital. Each location offers communal living areas, unlimited access to kitchens, meals, and snacks, laundry facilities, computer access, and plenty of quiet areas for hugs or high-fives.

About The John M. O’Quinn Foundation: John M. O’Quinn (1941-2009) established The John M. O’Quinn Foundation in 1986. With his death in 2009, Mr. O’Quinn willed his entire estate to the Foundation. As of December 31, 2021, the Foundation has awarded more than $145 million in grants. Most of the funds have been given within the state of Texas with a special emphasis on Houston, Mr. O’Quinn’s home since his youth. Although the Foundation supports a wide variety of charitable activities, in honoring Mr. O’Quinn’s legacy, the Board of Trustees focuses on conservation, education, health, and programs benefitting underprivileged youth. The Trustees of the Foundation are Robert C. Wilson III, Michael J. Lowenberg, David A. Ott, M.D., Anette Edens, Ph.D. and W. Jeffrey Paine. Trustee Emeritus is Corbin J. Robertson, III. Please direct all inquiries to Mick Pritchett, Director of Foundation Services for the Foundation, at (713) 871-5860 or mick@oquinnfoundation.org.

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