Ronald McDonald House Charities and WVU Medicine Children’s launch hospitality cart program

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Morgantown and WVU Medicine Children’s launched the new RMHC Family Room on the Go Program (the F.R.O.G. Hospitality Cart) on Thursday, April 20, in the Ronald McDonald House Charities Family Room located within WVU Medicine Children’s. It is the first RMHC hospitality cart in West Virginia.

The F.R.O.G. Hospitality Cart is a collaboration between the two organizations that provides inpatient children and their caregivers with toiletries, snacks, and activities such as crafts and games to help pass the time and brighten their days. Volunteers from the hospital will take the cart several times a week to each unit of the pediatric hospital to distribute the items at no cost.

Sponsored by Toothman Ford in Grafton, WV, the F.R.O.G. Hospitality Cart is an extension of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Family Room located directly in WVU Medicine Children’s. The Family Room allows visitors of patients to grab a meal, take a shower, watch television, and simply rest for a moment while being only steps away from their child receiving care.

Allegheny Construction in Bridgeville, PA, donated all of the building materials and construction of the cart.

“The F.R.O.G. Cart program is unique in all of West Virginia, and we’re pleased that Ronald McDonald House is bringing it to our patients. The small comforts that the F.R.O.G. Cart provides mean so much to the kids and families in our hospital and can make a difficult time a little brighter,” said Cheryl Jones, RN, director of WVU Medicine Children’s.

“We are excited to partner with WVU Medicine Children’s to bring the very first RMHC F.R.O.G. Hospitality Cart to West Virginia. This initiative will provide additional comfort and support to children and families who are facing medical challenges,” said Eleanor Reigel, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Morgantown.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Morgantown:

In addition to operating the RMHC Family Room Program in WVU Medicine Children’s, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Morgantown keeps more than 600 families close each year by providing comfort, support, and resources as they care for their medically ill children far from home. For more information regarding RMHC Morgantown, please visit www.rmhcmorgantown.org.

About WVU Medicine Children’s:

WVU Medicine Children’s – located on the sixth floor of J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Medicine’s flagship hospital – provides maternal, infant, and pediatric care for West Virginia and the surrounding region, giving care to high-risk mothers, premature infants, and children with life-threatening conditions through adolescence to adulthood. For information on WVU Medicine Children’s, see www.WVUkids.com.