SDi/Coinmach has donated brand new laundry equipment and service to Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of the Greater Hudson Valley. This facility is located next door to Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, and provides lodging for families with critically ill or traumatically injured children. The house has a light-filled living room with fireplace and baby grand piano, a full service kitchen, children's playroom, and homey suites designed and furnished by Starwood Hotels. In October, SDi delivered eight laundry machines for the building's three laundry rooms, which they will service on an as-needed basis. "At SDi, we've had a long tradition of giving back to the communities we serve," said company president Ron Garfunkel, whose father founded SDi in 1952. "We are a proud supporter of many worthwhile organizations that provide much-needed services throughout the New York tri-state area, including The Bridge, Make a Wish Foundation, ARC, and many others." Ronald McDonald House has a long history as well. The idea sprang from the combined efforts of Dr. Audrey Evans, a pediatric oncologist who saw families struggling daily to care for cancer-stricken children; Jimmy Murray, general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, whose team member Fred Hill had a daughter in treatment for leukemia; and McDonald's, who agreed to provide funding to open the first house nearly 40 ago in Philadelphia. Since then, over 300 Ronald McDonald Houses have opened worldwide. The House in Valhalla was built by Westchester Medical Center two years ago. Last Fall, SDi became a division of Coinmach, which was founded in 1947, and is the nation's largest supplier of outsourced laundry services. The new partnership is not only one of shared resources, but also one that represents shared cultural beliefs. "This is a great way to reinforce what we do," said Coinmach CEO Bob Doyle. "We do a lot of community support, like sending money to flood victims after Hurricane Sandy, sponsoring fundraising walks and rides, driving our trucks around to deliver food donations at Christmas. It means a lot to our staff to know that the company is socially conscious." Garfunkel and Doyle joined SDi vice president of customer support services Bill Waters and director of client relations Kamilah Ifill for a tour of the facility and an opportunity to meet the charming and dedicated staff, including executive director Marielena DiMatteo and chairman of the board Bryan Colley. "Corporate and private donations cover the costs of housing families and operating the house," said Marielena, pointing out two large walls in the entrance foyer displaying the names of dozens of donors. Each Ronald McDonald House is individually operated and self-funded through fundraising, grants and donations, and receives support from local McDonald's restaurants as well. The house has a spacious state-of-the-art kitchen and dining room, which are open to guests 24/7. There is even a stocked pantry filled with pasta, canned goods, dry goods, fruit and snacks, so that families can prepare their own meals at no cost using the wide variety of donated foods and beverages. Games and toys, and even massage therapy treatments, are donated regularly by individual and corporate members of the community. "The laundry facilities are used exclusively by our guests, who often stay here for months at a time. Having new commercial laundry equipment in all our laundry rooms will be a huge benefit to our residents," says Marielena. The entire staff expressed their great appreciation for all of the generous support they receive from their many sponsors and contributors.