Delaware program
A free room near treatment (Ronald McDonald House of Delaware)
A place near Wilmington treatment where qualifying families can stay and eat without a charge.
What it is
A place near Wilmington treatment where qualifying families can stay and eat without a charge.
A room near treatment may help when travel from home is difficult. The House checks distance, age, active treatment, screening and room availability. A request is not a reservation.
Eligibility rules
- The patient is usually aged 21 or younger, with exceptions, and receiving active treatment at a local hospital.
- The 25-mile minimum is measured from the House, not the hospital.
What you get
- A room and meals at no charge when a stay is approved and available.
What the help includes
- The House offers family lodging near Wilmington treatment.
If you decide to apply
- Ask the hospital social worker to request a stay for the treatment dates.
- Have your home address and admission dates ready; discuss another place for the first night if needed.
Ronald McDonald House of Delaware · 302-428-5317 · Official page ↗
What happens next
- The House confirms a room for the available dates shortly before arrival.
Good to know
A request is not a reservation. Availability is confirmed 24 to 48 hours before arrival.
Other details
- When rooms are full, the social worker can discuss other lodging help or a waiting list.
- The House’s published stay criteria do not use Nemours’ hospital financial-assistance income cutoff.
Official sources
“Could a stay near treatment help us? What are the benefits and house requirements, and could you request a room if we qualify?”
Why I’m asking: I want to understand room availability and what backup lodging we might need.
More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules
Who does what
The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.
You
Ask early, and have a fallback for the first night.
Your social worker
The hospital social worker usually makes the request.
The care team
Records and letters when the application asks for them.
- Who decides
- Ronald McDonald House of Delaware, on availability.
- Ask your social worker
- “We live a long way from the hospital. Can you put in a request to the Ronald McDonald House for the admission?”
How to apply
First step: Ask the hospital social worker to make the request, or call Family Services on 302-428-5317.
- Ask the hospital social worker to put the request in as soon as an admission is planned.
- Have a fallback for the first night, because a request is not a reservation.
Official application / program page ↗
Where it starts: Ask the hospital social worker to make the request; the House confirms availability shortly before arrival.
What to gather
- The admission dates
- Your home address
How long: Availability is confirmed 24 to 48 hours before arrival.
What a yes looks like
A room confirmed for the dates of the admission.
What a no looks like, and the next move
Usually availability rather than eligibility. Ask to be put on the list and ask about other lodging help.
Watch out
- A request is not a reservation; availability is confirmed 24 to 48 hours before arrival.
- The 25-mile rule is measured from the House, not from the hospital car park.
The numbers and the rules
The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.
What it is worth
A free room near the hospital for a family living 25 miles or more away.
- $25 — Minimum distance from the House
- $21 — Usual age ceiling for the patient
- $48 — Notice before arrival when availability is confirmed
Covers: A room for the family near the hospital · Meals and laundry while you stay
What it costs the family: None, on the published rules.
The eligibility facts, as published
- Age
- usually 21 or younger, with noted exceptions
- Distance
- 25 miles or more from the House
- Condition
- active medical treatment at a local hospital
The trap: A request is not a reservation. Availability is confirmed 24 to 48 hours before arrival, so have a fallback for the first night.
Where I read this
- Ronald McDonald House of Delaware — Staying With Us — Ronald McDonald House of Delaware, read September 10, 2026