American Red Cross spokesman Chuck Reed says the lodge will be built next to Iowa City’s Ronald McDonald House, near Carver Hawkeye Arena.

The mission of Ronald McDonald House at Stanford in Palo Alto is to provide a home-away-from-home and support for all families of children with life-threatening illnesses receiving treatment at local hospitals. The most important goal is to never turn another family away.

Built in 1979, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford was the fifth such House in the country. Since then, the House has grown from 13 to 47 bedrooms, 10 fte employees, and more than 100 volunteers.

Over the years the House has welcomed many families — about a thousand a year, and expected to grow to 2,000 in the new facility — who have come to the area to provide their seriously ill child with the exceptional care offered at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital or StanfordHospital and Clinics. As pediatric medicine and surgery have evolved and advanced, so too have the services available at the House.

To continue to meet this ever-increasing demand, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford broke ground in June 2002 to expand from 24 to 47 rooms. During that time the House was able to maintain a room fee of just $10 per night. To keep the costs to families so low, Bay Area McDonald's owner-operators contribute approximately 4 percent of the operating budget, while over 80 percent is contributed by generous community members, businesses and foundations.

The House continues to welcome all families in need into its warm, supportive atmosphere, and never refuse to accommodate any family due to inability to pay.