Meet Mac, a dog with a job. This fluffy, six-month-old Goldendoodle spends his workweek as Director of Smiles at Little Rock’s Ronald McDonald House.

Families come to the Ronald McDonald House while visiting Little Rock for pediatric care. The majority come from Arkansas, but anyone in need who lives at least 45 minutes away is welcome. Many of these families arrive in times of great stress—a new baby in the NICU, a child undergoing cancer treatment or recovering from a major accident. Ronald McDonald House keeps these families from spending uncomfortable nights on the hospital waiting room floor, staying a long distance from their hospitalized child, or depleting their savings on hotel rooms.

Once inside, families find themselves in one of 26 rooms featuring two twin beds and shared bathroom facilities. Dinner is provided nightly and guests can take advantage of the laundry room, on-site activities and a small business center. For children staying in the house, there is a well-stocked playroom and small outdoor play area. And, since September, a new addition has helped make each family’s stay “more home, less hotel”—a family pet.

Staff had two main concerns when deciding whether or not to hire a Director of Smiles in Little Rock. First, the animal had to be hypoallergenic, as the house welcomes many children with compromised immune systems. Research brought them to the highly-recommended, non-shedding Goldendoodle. Second, the dog had to have the right temperament to handle a large number of people, sick and weak children, and constant turnover. This one is harder to research, but they seem to have found their match with Mac.

As Mac lumbers down the hallway, you can’t help but smile at his lanky stance and floppy hair. He is not an official therapy dog; he came to Ronald McDonald the way any new puppy would join a family and is in obedience training with Lisa Mantle. Lisa, who is volunteering her services, is teaching Mac the standard commands and how to offer good behavior without being asked. Mac’s big challenge is staying out of the kitchen and dining room, delicious but forbidden areas of the house.

Mac is an undemanding friend to children and adults who often miss the pets they have left behind. He is available for a hug, a cuddle, a smile or an outdoor romp. At the end of his day, Mac goes home with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas Executive Director Katie Kirkpatrick Choate for a little downtime. The next morning he is ready to head to work, wearing a dapper tie if he has an important meeting or event.

Katie lights up as she talks about Mac’s impact on both families staying at the house and regular staff members. One story in particular sticks out: “The first day we had Mac, we had a little boy around the age of four living here while getting chemo treatments. He was too weak to walk on his own, so his parents pulled him back and forth to the hospital in one of our little red wagons. When I brought Mac in, he walked down the hallway and put his paws up on the wagon. The boy was very weak, but managed to reach out to pet him and then smiled the biggest smile. His grandmother started crying; this was the first time she had seen him smile since he had been sick. From then on, he and Mac were buddies. Unfortunately, that little boy passed away, but his parents said his last days were some of his happiest. He called Mac ‘his puppy.’”

In the Ronald McDonald House, Mac provides something the doctors cannot.

Mac’s stomping ground is starting to feel a little cramped, however. After nearly 35 years of service, the Ronald McDonald House is showing its age. In response to the growing needs of the community, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas started the Where Hope Has a Home capital campaign to raise $8 million for a new 34,000 square-foot facility just down the street.

The new “Dream House” will feature 32 family suites—no more communal bathrooms!—including three extended stay suites for long-term guests. Arriving families will check in at the new welcome center, a much more private set-up than the current reception area. They will have use of indoor and outdoor play areas, a basketball half-court, and multipurpose rooms. And of course, Mac will be there to greet everyone, roaming the halls of the Ronald McDonald House, ready to provide a comforting paw to those in need.

Sweet Support
Mac may not be able to indulge at the 12th Annual Chocolate Fantasy Ball, but you can! Support the Little Rock Ronald McDonald House with dinner, dancing, and chocolate at the Little Rock Marriott Hotel on Saturday, February 14. Tickets start at $250 and can be purchased at RMHCLittleRock.org.