MILWAUKEE – United by a shared commitment to providing compassionate, family-centered care to those facing mental and behavioral health challenges, Rogers Behavioral Health and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin (RMHC) have been named finalists in BizTimes Media’s 2025 Nonprofit Excellence Awards in the category of Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year.
In 2021, RMHC opened one of the first Ronald McDonald Family Rooms located within a mental health hospital on Rogers’ Oconomowoc campus with generous support from the Ladish Co. Foundation. The space, located within the Ladish Center, offers access to a full kitchen, seating areas to relax, internet, laundry facilities and entertainment. It’s a comforting space where caregivers can work or relax, siblings can play, and families can find respite in a place that feels like home.
“At Rogers, we understand that healing involves the whole family,” says Cindy Meyer, president and CEO of Rogers. “The Ronald McDonald Family Room is a welcoming space where visitors find rest, understanding, and support during incredibly challenging times. Hearing heartfelt stories from families and how they’ve connected with others, found strength, or simply shared a moment of peace reinforces why our collaboration with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin is so important. Being named a finalist is a tribute to the power of compassion and community.”
Since opening, the Family Room has welcomed more than 1,800 families for a total of more than 18,000 visits. The Family Room is growing in popularity, welcoming more than 6,000 visits from 820 families in 2024 alone – an 89% increase in the number of families served compared to the prior year.
“Family-centered care is at the heart of everything we do,” says Laurie Bertrand, President & CEO of RMHC Eastern WI. “Our relationships with our partner hospitals are incredibly important. The patients and families they provide care for are the families we serve, and nearly 30% of the families calling our Ronald McDonald House ‘home’ last year received treatment at Rogers. Our Family Room makes it possible for us to have an even bigger impact on Rogers’ families beyond the walls of our House, providing a welcoming space where they can create moments outside of the hospital setting.”
New programs further demonstrate the innovative spirit and impact of the collaboration, such as Meals from the Heart, which keeps snacks and meals available free of charge for families, as well as a Field Trip Initiative allowing residential patients to visit the Family Room to take part in art and cooking projects.
Learn more about the Family Room here.
The BizTimes awards program celebrates the positive community impact of southeastern Wisconsin’s nonprofit organizations and the for-profit leaders who support them. Finalists will be honored at an awards event on Thursday, July 24 at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., from 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
To register to attend the Nonprofit Excellence Award Ceremony, visit www.biztimes.com/npawards. A full list of finalists and award categories is available on the same site.
About Rogers
Rogers Behavioral Health is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit provider of mental health and addiction services. Rogers offers evidence-based treatment for adults, children, and adolescents with depression and other mood disorders, eating disorders, addiction, OCD and anxiety disorders, trauma, and PTSD. In addition to locations in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington, Rogers operates three inpatient behavioral health hospitals, 17 residential programs and nine centers offering PHP and IOP treatment in Wisconsin. Outpatient services for medication management and psychiatric evaluations are offered virtually and in-person in Wisconsin.
The System also includes Ladish Co. Foundation Center, home to Rogers Research Center, the Rogers Foundation, and the Ronald McDonald Family Room®. In addition, Rogers leads the nationwide WISE coalition with the goal of eliminating stigma related to mental health and substance use disorders. Learn more at rogersbh.org.
About RMHC
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Eastern Wisconsin, Inc. (RMHC Eastern WI) is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation that provides essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when children need healthcare. Since opening in 1984, we have been dedicated to providing a supportive and compassionate community for families with children in need of medical treatment far away from home. With help from more than 425 dedicated volunteers, we have supported nearly 57,000 family stays from Wisconsin, all 50 states, and 49 foreign countries. Visit our website for more information at http://www.RMHC-EasternWI.org.
