November is Adoption Awareness Month. At Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Northwest Ohio, we provide a home-away-from-home for families traveling to Toledo for their sick children. For Adoption Awareness Month, we want to introduce you to Angela and Daniel, who stayed at RMHC of Northwest Ohio for nine nights in 2023 as they grew their family with an adoption.
Angela and Daniel came to Toledo from Columbus, Ohio, to adopt their first child. “We spent years trying to have our first baby,” Angela emotionally describes, “When we got the call to come to Toledo and when we found out about the Ronald McDonald House, it was such a blessing to be that close to our daughter.”
At RMHC, we provide access to the care and resources that families need. “The staff was so amazing. They checked on us daily and made us feel like family,” says Daniel. “Every day, we would spend 15 hours in the NICU and come back to RMHC to rest, eat, and do laundry. We didn’t have to go shopping once in Toledo. RMHC provided us with everything we needed.” Angela describes the beds at RMHC as “the most comfortable bed she’s ever slept in!”
When it was finally time to take home their daughter, their family would be in for a huge surprise! “Our parents thought we were coming to Toledo to meet the birth mom, so we wanted to surprise them with their granddaughter,” says Daniel, as this is the first grandchild in their family. “We showed up to my parent’s house, and both sides of the family were there, and everyone was ecstatic.”
How has parenting been for Daniel and Angela? “Being a Mom is amazing,” says Angela. “Everything that our daughter does we just love, and every new phase is entertaining. This is everything we ever wished for.”
A Ronald McDonald House is more than just a house – it’s a loving community where families, staff, and volunteers support each other. To Angela, the Ronald McDonald House was comfort, “It meant that we could be close to our daughter and not have anything to worry about. It allowed us to be in the right mindset for the happiest moment of our lives.” To Daniel, RMHC was “a comfortable and welcoming place with fantastic resources. We are so grateful for the services provided by RMHC.”
We are thrilled to have been part of Angela and Daniel’s journey as they grow their family for the first time. But we cannot support families without YOU. You make it possible for families to stay free of charge and experience all the comforts of home – a hot prepared meal every night, private room, stocked pantry, laundry facilities, and so much more.