Families traveling to Southwest Ohio for life-saving pediatric care now have the support of one of the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House operations.
Ronald McDonald House of Cincinnati and Ronald McDonald House of Dayton have merged to form Ronald McDonald House Southwest Ohio. It’s a move leaders say will expand services, strengthen regional partnerships and allow the organization to serve more families than any other Ronald McDonald House chapter in the United States.
The combined organization will rank among the top three Ronald McDonald House chapters worldwide for nights of care, making the greater Cincinnati-Dayton region one of the leading centers globally for family-centered pediatric support.
The merger became effective Jan. 1.
“We’re thrilled to bring together two strong Chapters to have an even bigger impact for families when they need us most,” said Jennifer Loeb, who will serve as chief executive officer of the newly formed organization.
A strategic decision to expand impact
The merger grew out of informal conversations between Loeb and Rita Cyr, her longtime counterpart in Dayton, as both leaders recognized an opportunity to strengthen their shared mission by combining operations.
Ronald McDonald Houses are independent nonprofits that care for families when children are seriously ill or injured. By surrounding families with the resources, services and support they need, the organization removes barriers so parents and caregivers can remain at the center of their child’s care and ensure the best possible health outcomes.
Cyr and Loeb’s discussions quickly evolved into a joint task force of board and staff members, followed by a formal due diligence process. Nine months after their first conversation, both boards voted unanimously to approve the merger, Loeb said.
Leaders for both Houses described the merger as a strategic move aimed at maximizing impact rather than responding to financial pressure. By uniting operations, the organization can deploy funding more efficiently, expand essential programs and strengthen support for families navigating lengthy and complex medical journeys, Loeb said.
“By reducing financial and emotional burdens through lodging, meals and daily support, the House allows caregivers to focus on their children’s care,” added Loeb, who has led Ronald McDonald House Greater Cincinnati since November 1998.
Today, the Cincinnati House, located near Cincinnati Children’s on Erkenbrecher Avenue, can care for up to 177 families each night, including parents, patients, siblings and other family members. Dayton recently opened a 42-bedroom Ronald McDonald House and operates two in-hospital Family Rooms, one inside Dayton Children’s Hospital and another at Miami Valley Hospital.
Together, the organization now serves families across eight regional medical partner institutions.
The merged Ronald McDonald House Southwest Ohio is now in an integration phase focused on aligning teams and systems while ensuring uninterrupted services for families. All services at both locations continue unchanged, Loeb said, and staff from both Houses have been retained to ensure continuity of care.
But as the reformed Ronald McDonald House Southwest Ohio, the organization will now support hundreds of families each day, providing home-cooked meals, activities, play areas, laundry facilities and other essential services in a more efficient and effective way.
“By combining our talented teams and resources, we’ll be able to provide even better care for families from this region, across the country and around the globe who come to our area for care,” Loeb said.
Honoring leadership and continuity
Families at Ronald McDonald House won’t notice any changes to services or their experience during the transition, Loeb said.
The only visible shift, beyond the name on email signatures and logos, is at the very top of the organization chart. As part of the merger announcement, Cyr, who led the Dayton chapter for more than two decades, shared that she plans to leave the organization to pursue new opportunities.
“For nearly 24 years, I have been privileged to be part of an incredibly rewarding global organization and mission of keeping families close to each other and the critical medical care their children need,” she said. “I’m proud of what we’ve built together.”
She expressed confidence in the transition. “The new Ronald McDonald House Southwest Ohio will provide community, comfort, and hope to families receiving health care in our region for decades to come.” Cyr also vouched for Loeb’s leadership.
“Leading this extraordinary organization has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I look forward to working closely with Jenn to ensure a smooth, stable transition for our staff, families, and programs,” Cyr said. “I have complete confidence in Jenn’s leadership and the direction our newly merged organization is headed. This merger represents an opportunity to expand our mission, strengthen our impact, and bring new resources and collaboration to the families we serve.”
The organization will share more details about its expanded vision and programming in May 2026 as the integration continues. But Loeb stressed that families and Ronald McDonald House community partners can count on the organization to remain fully dedicated to world-class care and support.
“Our mission remains unchanged,” Loeb said. “We’re not changing who we are; we’re becoming more of who we’ve always wanted to be.”
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