A Westwood effort to turn a former boutique hotel into a lifeline for families with hospitalized children just got a seven-figure boost, as the Rafael and Sharyl Mendez Family Foundation committed a $1 million gift to the Westside Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. The pledge powers up a $50 million campaign to convert the Westwood Village property into about 33,000 square feet of family housing that can shelter up to 33 families at once, with meals, laundry and wraparound support offered at no cost. Campaign organizers say the deposit helps move the renovation schedule forward and secures a named space in the new facility's public areas.
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the $1 million commitment from the Mendez family foundation advances the capital campaign to acquire and overhaul the former Hilgard Avenue boutique hotel into the new Westside house. Organizers describe the project as a long-term anchor for parents whose children are undergoing specialized treatment at nearby pediatric centers.
Hotel Conversion Reaches Next Milestone
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California says it has already purchased the Hilgard-area property and opened a second-floor phase earlier this year so some families can move in while work continues on the rest of the building. As outlined by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California, the finished project is slated to be a four-story, 33,000-square-foot house with shared kitchens, family rooms and laundry facilities, all designed so bedside caregivers can stay close to their children. The chapter calls the Westside site its seventh house in the regional network and says phased openings are meant to get help to families as quickly as possible while the full hotel-to-house conversion plays out.
Mendez Gift Honors Family Ties
Nicole Mendez said the family wanted to help create a comfort-first space so caregivers do not have to choose between being near the hospital and keeping a roof over their heads, a sentiment highlighted in local coverage. In recognition of the contribution, organizers plan to name the rooftop lounge and welcome reception area for The Rafael and Sharyl Mendez Family Foundation. Campaign leaders say naming-level gifts like this are key to covering both the buildout and the long-term operations that follow.
What Families Will Get
Executive Director Kelly Herman said "no family who stays in our house will pay anything for lodging or an array of important family support services," underscoring the chapter's free-of-charge model for families in crisis. The project is expected to host up to 33 families at a time and serve more than 800 people each year, with priority given to patients connected to UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's and other Westside medical centers, Citybiz reports.
Funding Push Continues
The chapter still has a ways to go to close the full $50 million campaign, and organizers say more naming and lead gifts will be crucial to finishing renovations and hiring staff for the house. The S. Mark Taper Foundation has already pledged $1.25 million to name the future dining room, according to a campaign release.
With the Mendez pledge now in hand, campaign leaders say they are a step closer to securing the funds needed to complete construction and fully open the Westside house to families. For more on the campaign and ways to contribute, visit the donation portal for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California.
