Ronald McDonald House Long Island raises $450,000 at 40th anniversary gala

Charity Ronald McDonald House Long Island raises $450,000 at 40th anniversary gala By Miao Li … Comments Posted on October 27, 2026 Guests gather at Ronald McDonald House Long Island’s 40th Anniversary Gala on Oct. 15 at Larkfield in East Northport. The event drew more than 300 guests and raised $450,000 to support families of seriously ill children. Photo provided by Ronald McDonald House Long Island Ronald McDonald House Long Island raised $450,000 at its 40th Anniversary Gala on Oct. 15, bringing together more than 300 guests to celebrate the organization’s four decades of providing families with a place to stay while their children receive medical care. The gala was held at Larkfield in East Northport and honored the organization’s 2026 Board of Directors, led by Board Chair Katie Hunt Rotolo. Board member Philip Sammut of Pedestals chaired the event. Among the guests was Lyn Jurick, the 96-year-old founder of Ronald McDonald House Long Island, as well as families who have stayed at the House over the years. “For 40 years, Ronald McDonald House Long Island has been steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that no parent’s ability to stay at their child’s hospital bedside is compromised,” CEO Matt Campo said. “Last night was a celebration of the countless families who have found respite at Ronald McDonald House Long Island programs, and the community that has supported the organization every step of the way.” Read More: Manhasset teen builds hospitality carts for Ronald McDonald House families The organization’s New Hyde Park House opened Sept. 29, 1986, as the 100th Ronald McDonald House in the world. Jurick founded it with Irving Klein, a McDonald’s owner/operator, and Dr. Philip Lanzkowsky, then chief of staff of Schneider Children’s Hospital, now Cohen Children’s Medical Center. The House has since grown from 18 guest rooms to 42 bedrooms and eight kitchens, including two kosher kitchens. It has provided tens of thousands of families with a place to stay close to their hospitalized children. Today, the organization primarily serves families whose children are in neonatal or pediatric intensive care or undergoing cancer treatment. Families stay an average of 21 nights. In 2025, Ronald McDonald House Long Island served nearly 20,000 families through its programs, which include its New Hyde Park House and two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. The organization is also building a new Ronald McDonald House at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, with the 30-bedroom facility expected to open in late 2027. About the Author Conversations Profile All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Schneps Media does not endorse the views shared by readers in our comment sections. Today, 11 am Back Pain Workshop Connetquot Public Library Today, 11 am The Disappearance of Landscape: Oakleyville The Watermill Center Today, noon CancerCare Community Table Connetquot Public Library Today, 2:30 pm Afternoon Poetry Club: Halloween Poetry Connetquot Public Library Today, 4 pm French with Cecile Hampton Library Today, 5 pm Fall Health Reset: A Community Workshop with Peggy Kraus Southampton Arts Center Today, all day Belmont Park Village’s October Halloween Celebrations Belmont Park Village Today, 7:30 pm Long Island Harmonizers Chorus Welcoming New Members Faith Lutheran Church, 231 Jackson Ave Dan’s Papers Jennifer Lopez Rumored to Be Dating ‘Ted Lasso’ Star Brett Goldstein amNY MTA officials say Queens Bus Network redesign made ‘The World’s Borough’ buses faster, more reliable Noticia El puertorriqueño Francisco Lindor gana el Premio Roberto Clemente 2026 Behind the Hedges California-Inspired Cottage Asks $2.849M in Sag Harbor