Warm hearts under colorful hats - celebrating 10 years of the Ronald McDonald House in Kraków
The colorful woolen hats on the heads of our leaders are not a sign of approaching frosts, but rather a beautiful, personalized gift handcrafted for us by the volunteers of the Ronald McDonald House in Kraków during creative workshops.
The mission of the “Hats from the Heart” project is to bring smiles to the faces of young patients and their parents. These small, symbolic gifts help families adapt to the challenges of long-term treatment, offering comfort and warmth during their stay in one of the Foundation’s houses — safe, home-like places where they can recover together.
Located next to the University Children’s Hospital in Prokocim, the Kraków Ronald McDonald House has been supporting families for a decade. The houses run by the Ronald McDonald Foundation provide comfortable and, most importantly, free accommodation for families of hospitalized children. They allow parents to stay close to the hospital and, thanks to the dedication of staff and volunteers, benefit from continuous care and multidimensional support.
The ability to prepare meals, take care of daily needs, and spend time together in a cozy, homelike environment gives parents a sense of normalcy and the chance to regain the balance and strength they need to support their children through long treatment processes.
There are nearly 400 Ronald McDonald Houses worldwide, providing care to over 200,000 families in Europe each year, with two such homes located in Poland.
For a decade, the Hilton Garden Inn Kraków Airport has had the honor of supporting the Ronald McDonald House in Kraków.
On October 15, 2025, at the invitation of our friends from the Foundation, we had the pleasure of participating in the 10th anniversary celebration of the Ronald McDonald House in Kraków.
During the ceremony, Katarzyna Rodziewicz, President of the Management Board and Executive Director of the Foundation, was awarded the Honoris Gratia medal, a distinction granted by the city authorities in recognition of outstanding service to Kraków.
The celebration concluded with a gala dinner at L’atmosphère Restaurant & Bar at Hilton Garden Inn Kraków Airport in Balice, where guests, partners, and volunteers gathered in an atmosphere of warmth and gratitude to mark the anniversary of the Kraków house.
The Hilton Balice Team was represented by Piotr Ignaszak, General Manager of Hilton Garden Inn Kraków Airport, and Jolanta Skotniczny, Housekeeping Manager.
