CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Corpus Christi has a new name.
The big announcement was made Monday afternoon after the non-profit officially united with the Rio Grande Valley branch to become, 'Ronald McDonald House Charities South Texas'.
"It was really an opportunity for both of us, organizations by unifying to be stronger and for a stronger reach," said Michelle Horine, who is the CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Texas.
The facility has been here in Corpus Christi for 31 years and has served as a home away from home for families of children who must travel to receive medical treatment and care.
In fact, many of those families are already coming from the valley.
"67 percent of families we serve at the Ronald McDonald House in Corpus Christi are from the Rio Grande Valley, that's because they are coming to Corpus Christi for critical care that is not available down in the valley," said Horine.
What the expansion means is that the nonprofit will continue to address the needs of children through the Corpus Christi house as well as two family rooms in the valley.
Unfortunately, the Ronald McDonald House in Harlingen that struggled with low occupancy during the pandemic will remain closed.
"We don't want to be underserving so the board of directors from Corpus Christi and the valley formed a subcommittee, and looked into how we can best serve more families," said Mariano Bean Ayala, director of the Rio Grande Valley branch.
That is where a new program has been announced.
It's called the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, a 40-foot mobile unit that can go directly into areas where children are medically underserved. The vehicle will be staffed to offer medical services like vaccinations and even lessons on proper health care.
"We're going to be able to go to them to the colonias, the barrio, to the neighborhoods, and that is how we can help more families and that is what we want to do at the Ronald McDonald House," said Ayala.
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