Ronald McDonald House

I wish we could give ten stars. You don’t expect to need a place to stay for weeks or months at a time when you suddenly have a family member in the hospital. Our son was born prematurely and we had no clue what we would do or how we could afford a hotel for the predicted month that he would have to stay in the NICU. All family was at least an hour away, and as a mother you don’t want to be that far away from your baby, especially in the condition he was in at the time. We will never, ever be able to repay the kindness and provisions we were given while staying at the Ronald McDonald house there in Portland. The people there were so, so kind and understanding. There is nothing like an open door when you have nowhere to turn, or a clean dry bed when you’ve spent long days in the hospital with baby, or a home cooked meal when you’ve hardly even remembered to drink water all day. Thank you, thank you.

There are simply no words that can fully express what the Ronald McDonald House in Portland, Maine, has meant to our family. During one of the most difficult and uncertain times of our lives, as parents and as a husband and wife, they provided more than just a place to stay. They gave us comfort, dignity, and peace when everything else felt out of our control. From the warm meals to the quiet spaces to rest, every detail was met with kindness and compassion. But more than the physical comforts, it was the humanity the gentle check-ins, the understanding smiles, the sense that we weren’t alone that carried us through. They anticipated needs we didn’t even know we had and made space for our grief, our hope, and our healing. The generosity extended beyond the house itself. Local businesses donated incredible goodies that brightened our days, and families and community members came in to cook meals for us. Their acts of kindness were humbling, unexpected, and restorative. In a world that often feels heavy, these people reminded us that goodness is alive and well. They restored our faith in the world we were bringing our daughter into. This place is more than a house. It’s a haven. A lifeline. A reminder that in the darkest moments, there are still people who care deeply and show up fully. We will never forget what they gave us not just shelter, but the gift of being able to focus on what mattered most: our child. Thank you will never feel like enough.

What an awesome place for families. The staff were absolutely gracious and helpful. Parking is a serious problem, but that's everywhere in Portland, Maine. If you've ever considered donating or volunteering to a very important cause, this is one that certainly benefits many people while their loved ones are in the hospital.

Our baby was born via emergency c-section at just 31 weeks and spent 2 months in the NICU at Maine Medical Center in Portland. My fiance and I have 4 other children. He still had to work as much as he could because bills don't just pause when there's a family emergency. That just added another layer to the difficulty of the situation for us but I'll forever be grateful for how kind and helpful the Portland RMH staff was! I was so apprehensive the first time I set foot in the place but starting with the woman who checked me in the staff went above and beyond to help in any way they could...so by the time my paperwork, etc was done and I followed the staff member to the room they gave us I was already feeling MUCH less anxious and stuff. I just can't say enough good things about the Portland RMH and the staff there.

We truly had an incredible experience staying at the Ronald McDonald house while our son was in the NICU for weeks. The house manager Will was absolutely incredible. The guest chefs provided meals probably every other day which Caswell fed, and the additional freezer in storage space they provide for each room in the main kitchen allowed us to store tons of snacks. They also had a separate freezer for breastmilk which was super convenient. Quite literally had everything that we needed, I couldn’t ask for anything more. 5/5 stars.