Independent Order of Odd Fellows Donates $150,000 for Ronald McDonald House at Mercy

Independent Order of Odd Fellows Donates $150,000 for Ronald McDonald House at Mercy

12/06/2018

Mercy Foundation has received a $150,000 gift from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows – Grand Lodge of Iowa for the Ronald McDonald House at Mercy.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has a deep heritage of philanthropy, rooted in the organization’s command to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.

“We are pleased to provide these funds for the Ronald McDonald House at Mercy,” said Lawrence Shilling, Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Iowa. “This is an important project that will help families during one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives. This philanthropic gesture aligns with our organization’s mission.”

The Grand Lodge of Iowa’s history with Mercy extends back to 2014, when it committed a $100,000 gift to establish the Odd Fellows Scholarship Fund at Mercy College of Health Sciences.

“We are so pleased by this significant gift from the Grand Lodge of Iowa of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,” said Mercy Foundation President Shannon Cofield. “Mercy Children’s Hospital and Clinics has a statewide impact, serving 13,114 young patients from Iowa cities that contain Odd Fellows Lodges. We are so pleased to partner with this important organization to help Iowa families in need.”

Construction on the Ronald McDonald House at Mercy is slated to begin in early 2019. Currently, the Ronald McDonald Room at Mercy is able to serve 33 percent of families residing outside of Polk County. The new Ronald McDonald House at Mercy will increase the nonprofit’s capacity to serve families at Mercy by 50 percent. It will provide nightly accommodations for out-of-town families, as well as providing respite for day guests. Fourteen bedrooms suitable for families of up to five people and home-like amenities will help keep families close.