RAPID CITY, S.D. — Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota broke ground this week on its newest Ronald McDonald House, the first to serve families in western South Dakota.
The new facility, located at the corner of East Fairmont Boulevard and Elm Avenue in Rapid City, will feature 12 private guest suites, a fully equipped kitchen, dining areas, family lounges, children’s play areas and laundry facilities. The design also allows for expansion to 22 bedrooms as regional healthcare needs grow.
When complete in late 2026, the house is expected to serve more than 600 families each year, providing what the charity calls a “home away from home” for families with children receiving medical care at Monument Health.
“Our studies with Monument Health and our global office show that at least nine to 13 families a day in this area need assistance,” said Kevin Miles, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota. “That’s why we’re bringing in a 12-bedroom house — to provide a place for them to be close to care and present for their children’s medical needs.”
The project carries an $8 million price tag, with a stretch fundraising goal of $10 million to fully fund expansion and future needs. More than $6 million has already been raised through community support, including a major gift from the Klinefelter family of Rapid City and a partnership with Monument Health.
“The hope of establishing a Ronald McDonald House in Rapid City has been one of mine for the past 13 years,” Miles said. “Monument Health reached out, and that partnership is the reason we’re able to be here today. They even leased us the property for free, which was our first major gift and what made this possible.”
Miles said the house will provide families more than just lodging.
“When a child is in intensive care, families have no control,” he said. “What the Ronald McDonald House provides is that small sense of control — the ability to cook a meal, do laundry, or simply have a comfortable place to return to. It gives families stability when everything else feels uncertain.”
The project also holds personal weight for families who have already benefited from Ronald McDonald House programs. Jennifer Osen, whose family traveled 10 hours from Williston, N.D., to stay in Sioux Falls for 122 nights while her daughter Lily-Anne was in the NICU, described the impact.
“It’s okay to be broken here. It’s okay,” Osen said. “The Ronald McDonald House gives you the ability to be hurt, and to be unsure, and to be sad… this is a safe space. You don’t have to put on a mask and be okay, because you’re not. Ronald McDonald House gives you the ability to not be okay, and it’s okay that you’re not okay.”
Miles said the Rapid City location is within reach but needs continued community support to cross the finish line.
“I was told Rapid City is very generous, and I’m going to challenge that,” he said. “I invite the Rapid City community to help us cross the finish line. It’s within reach, and together we can make it happen.”
Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota currently operates two homes in Sioux Falls that have served more than 23,000 families since 1983. Of those, more than 6,400 came from western South Dakota. The Rapid City location will bring the mission closer to those families.
For more information or to support the campaign, visit rmhcsodak.org.
