What was the first Ronald McDonald House, opened in Philadelphia in 1974, originally called?

The first Ronald McDonald House, opened in Philadelphia in 1974, was called Ronald McDonald House.

The house provided a place for families to stay while their children received treatment at nearby hospitals. Its creation was connected with Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill, whose daughter was being treated for leukemia, and with McDonald's, which helped support the fundraising effort.

The project gave the Ronald McDonald character a charitable association beyond restaurant advertising. The model was later expanded through Ronald McDonald House Charities and related programs supporting families near children's hospitals.

The first house is sometimes described as a McDonald's charity headquarters, but that is inaccurate. It was a lodging facility for families of seriously ill children. The charity network later developed additional programs, including family rooms and care mobiles, but those were not the original 1974 house.