Nevada Women's Philanthropy

Grant Proposal

Come Climb Aboard Care Mobile

An Incredible Collaboration to Transform Children's Lives

Executive Summary

Oral health affects every aspect of our overall health - physically, mentally, and socially. It
influences how we grow, enjoy life, look, speak, chew, taste food, and even how we feel
about ourselves. This is especially true for growing children.

Tragically, nearly half (47%) of the children in our state’s Head

Start Programs suffer with tooth decay, according to Oral Health
Nevada. So, imagine how a four-year old who is just starting
school feels when her smile reveals a mouth full of stained teeth
and decay – the pain that prevents her from chewing her food,
sleeping at night, and concentrating in school. Imagine how it
affects her self-confidence as she strives to make new friends.
Even more distressing, many diseases, such as diabetes,
leukemia, oral cancer, and heart disease, first show symptoms
and side effects in the mouth. Dental professionals may be the
first to find them and recommend a medical check-up from her
doctor.

rmhlv.org | (702) 252-4663 | @RMHCLasVegas

 Executive Summary - Continued

But that early intervention won’t happen if that child is not

able to access quality dental care on a regular basis
starting at age two.
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile has become an
innovative solution to this problem of lack of access to
dental care for our state’s most at-risk children. In the past
decade, our dental van program has grown from serving
just 200 children a year with a part-time dental team, to
serving more than 1,200 children in 2021 with a full-time
dedicated team of licensed dental care providers from
our program partner – Nevada Health Centers.
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is a full-service dental
office on wheels! It provides essential dental care to an
underserved population, including geographically-
isolated children living where no dentists reside, refugee
children, homeless teens, and trafficked youth who have
been recently rescued from the streets of Las Vegas. Of
the children treated in 2021 aboard the Care Mobile, 96%
were on Medicaid or had no dental insurance at all.
Frustrated and worried parents who run into one closed
door after another express their gratitude daily, many
through tears, for finally getting the help their children
need to get out of pain and resolve their dental issues
before they become serious medical conditions.
This is why Ronald McDonald House Charities, in lockstep
with our proven dental partner, Nevada Health Centers, is
excited to have the prestigious Nevada Women’s
Philanthropy group consider supporting the Ronald
McDonald Care Mobile program with the purchase of a
new state-of-the-art dental van to replace our aging van
that has now outlived its life expectancy. Unlike our existing van, which currently travels the
length of the entire state every three weeks serving both the South and the North, our new
van will be dedicated to Southern Nevada only, serving a growing demand for dental services
for these “invisible" children.

So, please join us! Climb aboard the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile ...
where your grant will transform the lives of thousands of children - one smile at a time!

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 Agency Description

MISSION AND HISTORY

Believing that every child deserves a comfortable and supportive place to
grow, Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC) of Greater Las Vegas
creates and supports programs that directly improve the health, education,
and well-being of children in our community. We fulfill our mission by
providing a “home away from home” at the Ronald McDonald House® for
families who travel to Las Vegas to receive critical medical treatment for their children, and
we manage programs that serve the immediate needs of children and families in our own
community and beyond. In July 1998, the Ronald McDonald House was established through
a collaboration that included the Junior League of Las Vegas, local McDonald’s
Owner/Operators, the medical community, and several key builders and suppliers in the
construction industry.

POPULATIONS SERVED
RMHC provides services to children, ages 0-21, and their families. 78% of the families who
stay at the House are from low-income households, 86% of the families who use our Family
Room at the hospital are from low-income households, and 96% of the children treated
aboard the Care Mobile Dental Van are on Medicaid or have no dental insurance at all.

CURRENT PROGRAMS

Ronald McDonald House Ronald McDonald Family Room

The Ronald McDonald House provides
temporary housing, transportation, meals,
and other support services necessary to
ensure that parents can remain close to
their seriously ill or injured child in the
hospital and directly engaged in their
medical treatment.
The Ronald McDonald Family Room® is
located right on the grounds of Sunrise
Children’s Hospital. This peaceful oasis
provides family members with babies in the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with a place to
relax and recharge just a few steps away
from their baby’s bedside.
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 Ronald McDonald Care Mobile RMHC Scholarship Program

The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, in
partnership with Nevada Health Centers,
launched a mobile dental unit in 2005 to
provide access to full-service dental care
for children from low-income families in
rural Nevada and inner-city Las Vegas
neighborhoods.
The RMHC College Scholarship Program,
in collaboration with other community
partners, offers scholarships to graduating
high school students with a financial need,
who have demonstrated academic
achievement, leadership, and community
involvement.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In 2021, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas received the GuideStar
“Platinum Seal of Transparency” and the highest possible “Four Star Rating” by Charity
Navigator. In 2020, RMHC LV was awarded the inaugural “Virtual Programming of the Year”
Award from Wynn Resorts. The organization has also been recognized by the Del E. Webb
Foundation for several years as one of the Foundation’s “Exceptional Organizations.”

MAJOR FUNDING SOURCES

39% - Contributions*
25% - Events
18% - Grants
7% - In-Kind
6% - McDonald's Related
5% - Global RMHC

*Includes individuals, major gifts, planned

gifts, businesses/corporations, room
donations, and other funding

OTHER BACKGROUND
RMHC is the only organization in Nevada that provides restorative mobile dental services
(fillings, crowns, extractions, etc.) in both rural and urban areas of Nevada and temporary
housing for families traveling to Las Vegas for critical medical treatment for their children.

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 Project Description

PROJECT PURPOSE
Your Nevada Women's Philanthropy funding will be used to purchase a new 45-foot
state-of-the-art Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, which will increase our program capacity
to treat more children in Southern Nevada over the three-year grant period as follows:
2023 - 300 additional children (25% increase) for a total of 1,500 children served
2024 - 150 additional children (10% increase) for a total of 1,650 children served
2025 - 165 additional children (10% increase) for a total of 1,815 children served

In an effort to provide access to dental care for underserved children in low-income and
geographically-isolated communities, RMHC LV, in close partnership with Nevada Health
Centers, first launched a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program in 2005. This mobile
dental unit delivers critical dental care directly to children in their own neighborhoods. The
vehicle was designed and built specifically for the purpose of providing dental care. The
van houses two dental hygiene/treatment rooms, a lab with x-ray capabilities, and a
reception and records area. A variety of services are offered through the program,
including preventive and restorative dental care, such as fillings, crowns, extractions, and
pediatric root canals. The Care Mobile also provides education about dental hygiene and
oral health habits, as well as referrals and follow-up treatment. The program also helps
eligible families obtain government-assisted insurance.
Even with regular repairs and maintenance, our 16-year-old vehicle is experiencing
increased downtime due to needed repairs. Over the years, the wear and tear of traveling
up and down the entire state every month has taken its toll. Increased downtime is taking
away time that could be better spent serving more children in need.
In order to serve more uninsured and at-risk children, RMHC LV will purchase a new state-
of-the-art Care Mobile vehicle that will be dedicated to serving patients in Southern
Nevada only. With a new vehicle and less travel time on the road, this Care Mobile will be
able to operate five days a week without such costly delays. Our original Care Mobile will
continue serving children in Northern Nevada for as long as possible.
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 PEOPLE SERVED
A new Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will target low-
income and geographically-isolated children in rural
communities and inner-city neighborhoods throughout
Southern Nevada. To be eligible for services, patients
only need to be ages 2-21.

In 2020, Care Mobile began providing services to

homeless children in Las Vegas through a collaboration
with Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. In 2021,
Care Mobile teamed up with Catholic Charities of
Southern Nevada to provide services to refugee children
near the Bossa Nova Apartments, as well as the Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) Center on East Tropicana, a
high-risk area for sex trafficking. Another 80 children
have been identified as needing services in rural
Amargosa Valley at a residential school for youth with
behavioral and psychological conditions. These “invisible”
populations are at high risk for dental decay and the
serious medical conditions that can arise when dental
issues go untreated for too long.
In 2021, the Care Mobile served more than 1,203 children.
Ninety-six percent (96%) of the children served aboard
the Care mobile are on Medicaid or have no dental
insurance, but the need is much greater. With NWP
funding, the Care Mobile will be able to reach 300 more
children in our first year, which would represent a 25%
increase.

STEPS REQUIRED BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION

The steps required before implementation include:
Purchase the new Care Mobile
Purchase minor dental equipment and supplies
Train staff
Promote the program and schedule patients

"I am so grateful to be able to bring my daughters here. My 6-year-old

daughter really needed dental care. It was affecting her daily life, and we could
not find a doctor that would treat her. It was a pleasant, friendly experience."
- Parent of Dental Patients

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 PROJECT PLAN AND TIMELINE | USE OF GRANT FUNDS
The grant period will cover May 2022 through May 2024. RMHC intends on purchasing the
new vehicle in 2022 after the grant funds are received. Once purchased, it is anticipated that
the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will be on the road seeing patients by the middle of
2023. RMHC will report first-year program expansion outcomes in 2024 as well as second
and third year treatment numbers as the program continues to grow.

NWP Funds will pay for a new Care Mobile vehicle, which costs $550K.
All costs above the grant amount of $500K will be paid for by our RMHC Global Organization.

YEAR 1 - 2022 YEAR 2 - 2023 YEAR 3 - 2024

March 3rd February May

RMHC Placed On LifeLine Van Rolls Off Line And First Program Year Ends
Mobile Production List Final Payment

June June
50% Down Payment Program Year Begins
With New Van

$275,000 of NWP Grant $225,000 of NWP Grant

Allocated for Deposit Allocated for Balance

RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES

MOBILE DENTAL UNIT

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 BUDGET SUMMARY

NWP Funds represent up to 91% of Total Project Cost (van purchase)

and 43% of Total Year One Program Costs.

PLANS FOR SUSTAINABILITY

The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is currently supported by 17
different funders, including private foundations, government
grants, and corporations. RMHC collaborates closely with Nevada
Health Centers to share grant-writing responsibilities.

The long-term funding plan for this program is outlined in our 2019-
2024 Care Mobile Strategic Plan, which includes increased financial
assistance from RMHC Global to support this future expansion.

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Collaborating Partners
Because of the Care Mobile's strong partnerships with several existing community
organizations, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile can maximize existing resources by
focusing on providing treatment to children who have the greatest need for assistance.
Nevada Health Centers - NVHC has been our program's licensed dental care
provider since the Care Mobile's inception in 2005. They operate the largest
network of federally-qualified health centers in the state of Nevada, serving
uninsured and geographically-isolated families.
NVHC Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Sites - WIC Centers are federally-
funded and provide food, health care referrals, and nutrition education to low-
income women, infants, and children living at or under the poverty level.
Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth - See collaborating statement below.
Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada - Bossa Nova Apartments - Children
from refugee families.
Never Give Up Youth Healing Center (Amargosa Valley) - A Psychiatric
Residential Treatment Facility and School. See collaborating statement below.
Mater Academy Charter Schools (Las Vegas) - Two Title I Charter Schools (K-
8), serving disadvantaged and minority students.
Rainbow Dreams Early Learning Academy (Las Vegas) - Title I Early Learning
Center (Pre-K and Kindergarten), serving at-risk and underserved children.
McDonald's Local Owner/Operators

"The Never Give Up Youth Healing Center (NGUYHC) could not be more
pleased with the services provided by the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
dental van. Our patients at the Healing Center face many challenges, and
having such an empathetic dental team working with them has been key to
their successful treatment. For the sake of our patients, we sincerely look
forward to our continued collaboration with the Care Mobile dental team.
Their services are one in a million!”
- Patrina Estrada-Dunlap, Medical Auditor Administrator

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 Collaborating Partners (continued)

"Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY) has collaborated with

the RMCM program to serve homeless youth since 2020. The Care
Mobile program makes dental care accessible by eliminating barriers
that prevent homeless youth from seeking treatment, such as
transportation difficulties or a lack of insurance, by regularly stationing
the dental van on-site at the NPHY Drop-In Center. The Care Mobile’s
caring and committed staff provides essential services, including
hygiene exams, teeth cleanings, sealants and fillings, tooth extractions, wisdom teeth removal, and
follow-up treatment. Many NPHY clients share that the first time they ever received dental care was
through the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program. Because of the Care Mobile, more vulnerable youth
in Nevada have a reason to smile, knowing they too can receive dignified dental care, specialized
attention, and gentle treatment when they need it the most."
- Melissa Jacobowitz, Chief Development and Strategy

“As Future Smiles continues to grow our existing mobile School

Sealant Program (SSP), we strongly support the exploration of a
pilot project with the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program. This
ideal collaboration would involve the Care Mobile dental van
following behind our SSP dental team in our Clark County Title I
public schools to provide actual restorative care to children with
the greatest dental needs. Our own SSP data shows 25% (1,250
students) have urgent dental pain and critical dental health
needs, and another 25% (1,250 students) have early dental treatment needs. We know that our
community needs more “dental homes” that operate in local communities and schools, and working
together, Future Smiles and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile can be an integrated solution to this
critical problem facing uninsured children in Nevada.”
- Terri Chandler, Founder & Executive Director

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 PROJECT ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION
RMHC LV is the Lead Applicant for the NWP grant and
will oversee the continued collaboration with our
licensed dental care provider, Nevada Health Centers.
Alyson McCarthy, RMHC Chief Executive Officer, and
Shannon Sacks, RMHC Chief Operations Officer, are
responsible for implementing and evaluating the
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program. Alyson has
served as the Executive Director and CEO for the past
ten years. Nevada Health Centers is our contracted
dental care provider, overseeing the scheduling,
staffing, and maintenance of the vehicle. The Ronald
McDonald Care Mobile is fully staffed with a licensed
dentist, two dental hygienists, and support staff.

"It was great to be able to get their teeth checked and cleaned, because we
haven't been able to get dental insurance yet." - Parent of Dental Patients

EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS & MEASURABLE GOALS

By tracking patient data, we are able to ensure low-income
and uninsured children have access to regular oral health
treatment and education, which is the main goal of the Ronald
McDonald Care Mobile program. All patients’ families and
guardians provide demographic and income and/or
insurance information at their initial visits. This specific data is
used to evaluate whether the program is reaching the
targeted children with the greatest need. No family is turned
away for Care Mobile services due to an inability to pay and
there are no out-of-pocket costs for any families whose
children are treated aboard the Care Mobile.
Specific benchmarks for success include, but are not limited to:
Number of Children Treated - 1,500 children for a 25% increase in program capacity in
year one. A total number of 4,965 children treated during three-year grant period.
Target Population - 96% of all patients served aboard the Care Mobile are uninsured or on
Medicaid to make sure those children who need these services the most are being
targeted.
Continuum of Care - The Care Mobile becomes the dental home to a growing number of
patients we serve when the dental van visits each location two times yearly to provide
care for patients on a sixth-month schedule.

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 Surrounding Details for Project

DOCUMENTED COMMUNITY NEED FOR THIS PROJECT Before

Research indicates Nevada ranks 49th in the nation in access to
dental care and experiences among the highest rates of decay
in the nation.
According to Oral Health Nevada, only 37% of Nevada's low-
income children have had a dental visit, and just 20% received
a dental service - which is less than the national average. After
There is an extreme need for the services provided by the
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. In Clark County alone, more
than 66,000 children, ages 5 to 17, are living in poverty without
medical or dental insurance. That's nearly 1 in 5 children!

Tooth decay is the number one chronic childhood illness

overall. Children with little to no access to dental care are at greater risk of developing serious
medical issues when the underlying cause of the dental problem is left untreated.
The current Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is 16 years old with 170,000 total miles on it after
repeatedly traveling up and down the state. The wear and tear over the years has led to
equipment wiring issues, leveling system malfunctions, and repairs to the air conditioning and
heating systems, as well as the generator. More frequent repairs to this aging dental van is
costing more than money - it's costing time!

Increased Downtime Means Decreased Patient Time

In 2021, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile was out of service for 12 weeks due to repairs.
More than 300 additional children could have been served during that time.

IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT

With a dedicated focus on Southern Nevada, serving Las
Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Amargosa, the
new van will serve 1,500 or more patients a year with an
estimated 40 patients per week in 2023.
Through the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program,
more children will have an improved quality of life. This
program ensures low-income and at-risk children are
provided access to the quality dental care they need to
eat better, sleep better, and learn better.
We see it everyday... Healthy mouths make for healthier,
happier children with higher self-esteem.

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 Your NWP Grant funds will help transform the lives of children,
like this young patient.
Before After

Sadly, this little boy was in severe pain prior to his treatment

This young patient was just four years old and experiencing severe tooth decay and
pain due to sensitivity. His mother had been to two other dental practices prior to
finding the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, but the treatment was too expensive. She
heard about our program through a friend and came in for an exam.
The patient was diagnosed with what is known as "bottle rot." This condition is most
commonly caused when a child is sent to bed with a bottle of milk or juice to help them
fall sleep. This is a very common practice in our low-income communities throughout
Nevada, where there is little access to oral health education or affordable dental care.
Our licensed Care Mobile dentist placed a medicament over the nerve chamber of the
tooth to help regrow healthy tooth structure and help with the sensitivity. The dentist
then did four composite build-ups for the front teeth by hand out of a putty-like
substance that becomes hard after the procedure is finished. This little guy was very
active in the dental chair, but we were still able to finish the procedure.
The little boy was so happy when he saw his new teeth, that he ran up to his mom after
the appointment to show them off – quite excitedly. The mom was so grateful and
relieved, she started to cry. The mother also has other little ones at home, so the Care
Mobile team was happy to educate her about proper oral hygiene practices so this
would not happen to her other children.

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 DONOR RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES
RMHC would proudly display the NWP name and logo on the outside of the vehicle as it
travels from one community to another every day. NWP will also be recognized on the
RMHC and NVHC websites, our social media channels, and through traditional media
coverage.

QUESTIONS FROM NWP SITE VISIT PARTICIPANTS

Why are you not currently providing services in Clark County public schools?
Currently, our patient pipeline is full serving some of Nevada’s most vulnerable patients at
our established locations. A new Care Mobile vehicle, dedicated to Southern Nevada only,
will certainly increase our capacity to serve more patients. That is why the Ronald
McDonald Care Mobile program is currently exploring a potential collaboration with Future
Smiles – a non-profit already providing dental services to low-income children in Title I
Clark County public schools.

How do you choose your sites?

Our licensed dental provider aboard the Care Mobile is Nevada Health Centers (NVHC),
which is the largest network of federally-qualified health centers in Nevada. They operate
nine community healthcare facilities in Southern Nevada alone, serving primarily low-
income and uninsured families. Our licensed Care Mobile dentist, Dr. Alexandrea Wabara,
confers regularly with the medical providers at NVHC to find out where the greatest
dental needs are emerging. This regular open line of communication between their
medical and dental providers has become a great way to identify where Nevada’s
children in greatest need are located.

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Will RMHC have to hire a second dental team to staff the
existing Care Mobile in Northern Nevada?
No. Our current aging Care Mobile will continue to operate
in Northern Nevada for as long as possible, utilizing a part-
time dental team already based in Elko to maintain a dental
home for the 150 children treated there in 2021. Nevada
Health Centers already has plans in place to address a
growing need for dental services in Northern Nevada for
both children and adults. These plans include a second
dental van and construction of a brick-and-mortar clinic in
Carson City over the next two years.
Do you accept private insurance?
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile accepts nearly all
private insurances, but less than four percent of the children
treated aboard the Care Mobile have private insurance.
How much of your funding is provided by McDonald's?
McDonald's is our founding mission partner and our largest
corporate donor. However, contributions from the
McDonald's corporation and our local McDonald's
Owner/Operators account for six percent of our overall
annual revenue.

The Right Project = A New Dental Van

The Right Time = Now More Than Ever
The Right Impact = Transforming the Lives of
4,965 Children in Three Years

The Secret Sauce = The Ronald McDonald

Care Mobile Program

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