Facilitating a difference in the lives of many, is Eleanor Reigel, Chief Executive Officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown.
Reigel has worked with the charity for more than a decade, after previous employment with the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. For Reigel, work is more than a job––it’s a passion.
“The medical clinicians and doctors that are in our communities are the experts,” said Reigel. “[We] focus on the family; that way, the family can focus on the child. We’re here to make [things] a little bit better and a little extra special.”
The Ronald McDonald House is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and providing families with a “home-away-from-home” for seriously ill children receiving medical treatment.
The first house in Pittsburgh (seventh nationally) was founded in July 1979 and could accommodate up to 10 families each night. In 2018, the Pittsburgh and Morgantown charities merged to better serve the needs of pediatric patients and their families across the region.
“Without the board of directors and the support of the staff, we would not be able to provide the compassionate care and support that we do for each and every family,” said Reigel. “We are blessed with [community] support.”
Keeping families together is their number one priority, which has helped countless children in their darkest days.
In her spare time, Reigel enjoys quilting––piecing together fabric and other material into something beautiful. This concept motivates her and the Ronald McDonald to see charity as creating something beautiful for others.
If you’d like to keep up with Eleanor and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown, you can visit www.rmhcpgh-mgtn.org. To donate, visit www.rmhcpgh-mgtn.org/donate/.
PWV QUICK BITS | ELEANOR REIGEL
- RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: HumanKind by Brad Aronson.
- PIECE OF ADVICE: “Being involved in charity is a compassionate proposition. I can’t think of a better way to give back and celebrate others. Seek out opportunities to serve,” joked Reigel.