The Red Shoe Society is a professional membership group of young leaders who share a collective goal: to advance the mission and work of Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area. We engage and empower young professionals in the Bay Area to get actively involved in philanthropic and leadership endeavors, make a positive difference in our community, and support the Charity in keeping families with sick kids together and near the medical care they need. Red Shoe Society members make a direct impact on Ronald McDonald House families through service, fundraising, mentoring, and networking.
We unite the Bay Area’s rising corporate and community leaders to help house, feed, and support families with sick kids by engaging new donors, supporters, and sponsors in Charity activities. We also offer young professionals opportunities to get involved in the Charity, grow their professional networks, and develop as leaders.
As we establish the Bay Area’s first Red Shoe Society, founding members will have a unique opportunity to shape the future of our group and build a premier young professional society committed to giving back to the most vulnerable in our community — critically ill and underserved children and their families. But the perks of membership extend far beyond the group itself:
NOW RECRUITING
Are you a young professional looking to make a difference in your community and career? We’re looking for founding members and executive committee members to join the Bay Area’s first Red Shoe Society. Let’s get started! Simply fill out an inquiry form, and we’ll be in touch about next steps. young leaders
Lauren Battiste
My mentors always told me to ``pay it forward`` by becoming a mentor in the future. It is important for young professionals to create a bond between their mentors and with each other.
Dylan Thomas
From having multiple chronic illnesses my entire life and being frequently in and out of the hospital (most if not all at LPCH), I gained an appreciation for everyone that has an impact on my care/stay. This includes those in visible roles and those that are unseen.
Christopher Higgenbotham
My family and community have taught me that helping others extends beyond financial contributions or material donations; it's about taking meaningful action. And action means offering support and compassion to others unselfishly.
Russell Blockhus
I didn't realize how important the services the Ronald McDonald House provides until I had to relocate for my daughter's life-saving medical care. As young professionals, we have the ability to help positively impact families going through the most difficult times of their lives.
Join the Red Shoe Society at 6 p.m. on March 15 to hear a bit more about our mission and that of RMHC and how the committees and leadership positions function. We’ll also share our upcoming in-person events schedule, and you’ll get to know other local professionals. Read more about Red Shoe Society Virtual Info Session – March 11...
Ileena Mitra always knew she wanted to help people in her community. As the daughter of Indian immigrants in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ileena saw how income and healthcare inequity affected those around her. Read more about Why We Serve — Giving Back as a First-Generation Scientist...
Did you miss yesterday’s Red Shoe Society | Young Professionals Network webinar — Digital Empathy | How to Be a Remote Rock Star? Not to worry, watch the webinar recording above! Read more about Digital Empathy Webinar Recording...
Providing essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare.
With the help of our Bay Area community, we help ease the financial and emotional burdens families face as they access critical care for their children. Our Ronald McDonald programs operate inside and nearby our partner hospitals, offering long- and short-term housing, daily meal support, and 24/7 support psychosocial support services, such as child enrichment and sibling care, family activities and recreation, and more.
Our Ronald McDonald House at Stanford is one of the world’s largest pediatric housing facilities, offering 123 rooms, daily meals, bilingual 24/7 family services, a makerspace, and onsite K–12 school. In 2023, we expanded to Oakland with a 7-bedroom House—just steps from UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital—offering the same comprehensive care and support.
Request a family stay >With the help of volunteers, we provide meals, in-hospital housing and respite, sibling activities, day-use access, and patient bedside visits to bring comfort and care to families, just steps away from their sick child.
Get involved >Our Ronald McDonald programs operate inside and nearby our partner hospitals to offer wraparound services, including daily meals, 24/7 therapeutic support, such as child enrichment and sibling care, family activities and recreation, and more.
Volunteer to help families >RMHC Bay Area partners with John Muir Community Health Alliance to provide free oral health care services to our region’s most vulnerable children.
Learn more >
For Elaine Weiner, giving back is a value that has been instilled in her since childhood, shaped by her cultural heritage and experiences. From a young age, Elaine was deeply influenced by her Chinese American family’s traditions, prompting a lasting commitment to care for others. Read more about Board Member Spotlight: How Family, Heritage, and Heart Led Elaine Weiner to RMHC Bay Area...
Palo Alto, CA, May 20, 2025 — For more than 18 years, the Medina-Flores family of Sacramento has turned to Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area (RMHC Bay Area) for its array of critical family-centered services that have helped them navigate their son Alex’s complex medical journey. Read more about Press Release: RMHC Bay Area Honors 18-Year Journey of Central Valley Family...
When Adina Flores’ son, Alex, was born 18 years ago, he arrived prematurely and was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Within his first two weeks of life, Alex underwent two open-heart surgeries. Following the second, he was airlifted from their home in Sacramento to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford— Read more about When a Child is Sick, the Whole Family is Sick—and Heals Together...
The Oakland Marathon was more than just a race this year—it was a movement of hope and community. With over 100 runners—our biggest TeamRMHC yet! —we raised critical funds to support families with housing, meals, and a community of support when they need it most. Read more about A Record-Breaking Race: 100+ Runners Rally for TeamRMHC at the 2025 Oakland Marathon to Help Critically Ill Children...
Palo Alto, CA – January 10, 2025 – Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area (RMHC Bay Area) is thrilled to announce the appointment of six dynamic new members to its Board of Directors. Each brings a unique mix of experience, passion, and commitment to the organization’s mission and programs that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing. Read more about RMHC Bay Area Welcomes Six New Board Members to Strengthen Mission and Community Engagement...
Aloha from the Sylva-Kanagusuku 'SK' Family 🌸 At RMHC Bay Area, we believe in the power of family. For the SK family, that power has been their greatest strength during Kinsley's medical journey. When Kinsley, the youngest of four siblings adopted by Jennifer and Lahela, was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder causing severe epilepsy, her family traveled 2,500 miles from Hawaii to Stanford for life-saving surgery. Read more about Kinsley’s Story — Together Through It All...
