How the new Family Life Center at Birmingham’s Ronald McDonald House is the heart of the house

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Eight-year-old Kaitlynn Mosley of Webb, Alabama, received a life-saving kidney transplant here in Birmingham on October 15. Her parents, David and Staci, have made the eight-hour round trip from their South Alabama home many times since she became ill early this year, diagnosed with stage four renal failure.

Since March, they have stayed eight times at Ronald McDonald House Alabama in Birmingham, where they found much more than deeply appreciated nights of rest at no charge, close to the hospital.

Thanks to community partners, Ronald McDonald House Alabama recently created a Family Life Center within the House, providing a space for its longtime Family Life Program. This new center is a place of grounding for the Mosleys and many more Alabama families when they need it most.

Read on to learn how the center serves families.

See inside the new Family Life Center

👀 👆 WATCH: The Ronald McDonald House Family Life Center Dedication Ceremony on Nov. 5

Staci Mosley describes the family’s first days in Birmingham as a time of confusion and emotion over their child’s health and diagnosis. Landing at the Ronald McDonald House with the right support system was the best thing that could have happened at such a difficult time, she says.

“Everything was happening so fast, we didn’t know. One minute our child is okay; the next minute we are finding out she is really sick. [Social Worker America Jane Abernathy] came out and just sat with me, talked and listened. And that, in itself, is amazing, especially when you have a family that’s coming into this situation that you’re not used to. It’s a life-changing experience.”
_{Staci Mosley}

Beyond a free room and warm meals at night, Mosley says the emotional support and programming for kids and families are exceptional.

Resources, activities + more

The Family Life Center is located on the first floor of the House and is open from 8AM-5PM daily. Beyond an initial meet-and-greet with the team and welcome bag, guest families will discover:

• Information on immediate resources for their stay
• Weekly access to the Toy Store
• Organized field trips + tickets to local events
• Family activities such as crafts, cake decorating, game nights + more
• Self-care + pamper sessions (yoga, meditation, relaxation, stress-management, haircuts)
• Animal-assisted therapy
• Financial counseling + budgeting
• House-to-home transition plans

Join in supporting Ronald McDonald House Alabama

Birmingham-based Regions Bank and Black Family Restaurants were the leadership-level donors, alongside many other generous contributors to the Family Life Center, completed in early 2025. Brasfield & Gorrie reconfigured unused space, upgraded the kitchen to support the House chef, added storage for donated items, created a common area and set up office spaces with computers for family check-ins and work needs.

“Walking in this door after being away for some time just warms your heart, and to hear families speak about the love, not just the support around housing, but the actual love is just amazing, and it tells us why it is so important that, as a company, we support the Ronald McDonald House.”
_{Lajuana Bradford, Regions Bank SVP, Head of Corporate Philanthropy and Partnerships}

Jim Black of Black Family Restaurants connected the project to longtime Ronald McDonald House Alabama leadership and his late business partner, a House co-founder.

“You know, my partner, Max Cooper, would be very proud of y’all, the continuation, the expansion and how much more you’re doing for the families with the Family Life Center. Wow. It makes you proud to be a part of it, and you feel good about putting your money into something like this.”
_{Jim Black, Black Family Restaurants}

Learn more about the Family Life Center at Ronald McDonald House Alabama + how you can support the Ronald McDonald House Alabama mission.

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