Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Iowa chapter expands coverage

Scholarships will be available to more Iowa and Illinois students this fall due to the expansion of the Eastern Iowa's Ronald McDonald House.

As of Aug. 7, Iowa City's Ronald McDonald House chapter officially changed it's name to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Though the chapter previously served 18 counties, it will now include 21 more counties throughout Eastern Iowa and Illinois, serving a total of 39 counties.

The change comes after the Ronald McDonald House chapter in the Quad Cities, which operated as a grants program run by the owner/operators in the area, dissolved in 2012. Kristin Roberts, executive director at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, said they will now take over that grant program. At the same time, graduating seniors who live in the 21 additional counties will become eligible for scholarships through the expanded chapter.

"It's really exciting because so many of the families who stay at the house come from the Quad Cities area, so for us to say, yes seniors from that area can apply for our scholarships, I think that's really exciting," Roberts said. " It also allows us to have more of a presence in that area."

Roberts said that, in 2012, about 30 percent of the families that stayed at the Iowa City Ronald McDonald House came from the Quad Cities area. The chapter will also administer the grants program for the 21 new counties.

The Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois has awarded over $90,000 in scholarship money since the program began in 2008.

Beth Pfohl, grants and scholarship coordinator at the chapter, said they typically offer 9 scholarships, three of which are renewable. Though nothing is final just yet, Pfohl said they will likely double the number of scholarships they offer in order to accommodate the now-eligible students from the 21 new counties.

"It's a neat and exciting time for us and I think it's a really great opportunity to branch out to other students in the eastern Iowa and western Illinois area and support people in a different way," Pfohl said.

The new Iowa counties include Scott, Muscatine, Louisa, Jefferson, Henry, Des Moines and Lee. The new Illinois counties include Rock Island, Jo Davies, Carroll, Ogle, Whiteside, Lee, Henry, Bureau, Mercer, Henderson, Warren, Knox, Hancock and McDonough.

"It's nice because it allows us to tie all our programs together," Roberts said.

Roberts said the expansion will not effect the housing operations of the Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City, which provide people a place to stay while their children are in the hospital.

According to a release, $70,000, which will benefit children, was recently awarded to non-profits in the expansion area that are associated with the Ronald McDonald House Charity.

Those interested in scholarships and grants through the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois can find more information on the charity's website. The deadline for next year's scholarships is Jan. 21, 2014.