Brittany Gooden pulls at a pair of large, red shoes, opening a glass door. Walking inside with her is her husband, Joshua Gooden and their two-year-old daughter, Maggie. This white and redbrick house is set back in a grove of trees. Lining the steps are potted plants, and a playground sits outside.

This house with the Ronald McDonald shoes for doorhandles isn’t the home of the Gooden family. It is part of the Ronald McDonald House Charities. This House, and others like it around the globe, provides a safe haven to families like the Goodens. Families who live too far away to commute to St. Louis everyday. Families who can’t afford to stay at a hotel for weeks on end. Families who have a child in the hospital.

“It’s a good charity because it’s for children,” Brittany says. “They do provide quite a bit for people with sick or hospitalized children.”

Walking in the lobby, Assistant House Manager Kim Gutknecht greets the Goodens. Kim started working here when she realized she needed a change in her career.

“I definitely changed career paths,” former business women Kim says. “I wanted to work more closely with families. It’s part of my job to eat with all of the families and get to know them. I also make it a point to know everyone’s name. I love all my families here.”

The Goodens step inside the elevator to go put some shopping bags in their room. Aside from errands like today’s shopping trip and Joshua’s trips home for him to work a little each week, they have spent almost their time with their newborn daughter, Vivienne.

Vivienne was born premature, and for two weeks now, she has been in the neonatal intensive-care unit at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center. This Ronald McDonald House is located on the campus of St. John’s, with Missouri Baptist Medical Center less than five minutes away and the Shriners Hospital for Children only 10 minutes away.

“[The House] has been really good for our family,” Brittany says. “It’s a two and a half hour drive home to Anna, IL. It would pretty much be get here, turn around, head back home. We wouldn’t get much time with our daughter.”

Brittany, Joshua and Maggie walk into their white walled room. Joshua’s black tennis shoes move along the carpet. The rooms at the House each contain three beds, a private bath and a closet. Along with this room, the Goodens are provided with fresh cooked dinners, a laundry facility, and use of recreational areas-all for just $5 a day, though no one is turned away due to inability to pay. The rest of the funds come from a variety of donations.

“We have talked about how we are not going to pass up the donation boxes at McDonalds anymore,” Brittany says. “We plan to do something to give back to the home in the future.”

The Gooden family leaves their room, and heads back to the main level, going to get a snack for Maggie in the dinning area. This room can seat 20 families, the maximum number the House can hold. But right now, only seven families are staying at the House.

In the dinning area, the Goodens sit down at a polished wood table, Maggie munching happily on her snack. While Maggie’s snack right now is nothing more than candy corn, the Goodens will later have a warm home cooked meal. Every night, a different group of volunteers comes to the House to prepare dinner for the families.

As Brittany and Joshua wait for Maggie to finish eating, a group of people carrying bags of food walks into the kitchen behind the Goodens. These are La-Z-Boy employees. Tonight, they are the dinner volunteers, making a meal for the Goodens and other families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

“[The House] is heartwarming,” dinner volunteer Jerri Menefee said. “If this place wasn’t here, where would they go? The families wouldn’t be able to afford hotels for months on end.”

The volunteers start laying out the ingredients and getting ready to prepare the meal. It is people like this that allow the Goodens to enjoy the comforts of home in a strange place.

“Before we came here we didn’t realize how many nice people there are in the world,” Joshua said. “It was just really surprising to see how many people are willing to help us.”

As soon as Maggie finishes eating, the Goodens leave the House to go back to the hospital.

Walking out the front door, the Goodens pass under a number hanging on the building- 300. This is not the address number for the House. It is the number of Ronald McDonald Houses worldwide. And on Sept. 29, this House not only became the third to open in the St. Louis area, but the 300th to open worldwide.

“I think it is so exciting, being number 300,” Kim said. “The employees and volunteers deserve this honor. We are the most caring, compassionate people. We are very giving.”

The Goodens will stay at the hospital with Vivienne for several hours. They will not return back to the House until the sun has gone down and dinner has grown cold. They will grab the door handle shoes and walk into the quiet House.

One day soon, the Goodens hope to travel home with Vivienne, living together as a family at last. But for now, they are happy to be staying at this House; happy to be only a short walk away from their baby girl. Happy to be one of many families who consider this House a home.

For a video on the opening of the 300th Ronald McDonald House click here.

Paige Yungermann