Ronald McDonald House Richmond receives $2 million gift from Rob and Jean Estes

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Richmond announced a generous $2 million gift from Rob and Jean Estes. $1.5 million supports the Together, Hope is Closer capital campaign, while $500,000 is designated for the ongoing sustainability of the program expansion. Their contribution is the largest individual donor gift to the capital campaign thus far, representing a monumental step towards realizing plans for Richmond’s new, 50-bedroom Ronald McDonald House.

The $40 million capital campaign will bring a transformative new era for the nonprofit after 45 years in the current nine-bedroom Ronald McDonald House on Monument Avenue. RMHC Richmond also operates a four-bedroom home inside Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU as well as other in-hospital programs in three additional Richmond area hospitals.

“We’re grateful and honored to support causes that uplift and care for families during some of their hardest moments,” said Jean Estes. “RMHC Richmond provides comfort, support, nourishment and respite, so that parents and loved ones can focus on their child receiving care. We want to be a part of an organization that leads with so much heart.”

The Estes’ gift comes at a pivotal moment in the campaign, fueling momentum as RMHC Richmond expands to serve more families and deepen its impact. The Estes family has a history of supporting important causes and regional projects that seek to improve care for children and families.

“Today, we’re celebrating a generous gift from a respected family that understands the importance of children’s health and how that can impact an entire family. We’re proud to have the support of Rob and Jean Estes, whose gift will help us reach our goal of serving more families receiving pediatric care in Richmond,” RMHC Richmond CEO Emily Toalson said. “This is a critical milestone for the campaign with big goals of significantly increasing our size and scope and relocating to a new neighborhood that we plan to embrace – just as we have in our current home for over four decades.”

The 52,000-square-foot House will be located at 505 W Leigh St in historic Jackson Ward, about a mile from the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and a short drive from the Richmond Region’s other pediatric-serving referral partners. With four immunocompromised suites, community meeting spaces, ample outdoor space, family lounges and more, RMHC Richmond’s new home-away-from-home will enhance the organization’s program offerings and triple the number of families currently being served.

“We know the need for RMHC Richmond’s programs is greater than the supply, and we see this as an opportunity to meet the need and help more families,” Rob Estes said.  “We also view this as an incredible return on investment with the opportunity to create a lasting impact with a trusted organization like RMHC Richmond. It was an easy decision for us to help.”

To date, RMHC Richmond has raised $20.4 million for the new House, putting the capital campaign at just over 50% of its overall fundraising goal. With this success, the organization aims to break ground in fall of 2026 and hopes for project completion as soon as Q4 of 2027.