On this episode of the IDS Podcast, I sat down with Jennifer Nicholson, Chief Operating Officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro, to talk about a project that means a lot to our IDS Long Island chapter — the new Stony Brook Ronald McDonald House, our current Pay It Forward partner.

Jennifer's been with the organization for eighteen years, and she took me all the way back to the beginning: how a Philadelphia Eagles player named Fred Hill started the very first House 51 years ago after his daughter's leukemia treatment, and what it really means to keep families close when their child is in the hospital. We talked about everything the House provides beyond a place to sleep — home-cooked meals from more than 12,000 volunteers a year, transportation, a food pantry, pet therapy, and more.

Then we got into the design side. Jennifer shared how Project Design started at New Hyde Park back in 2013 with one phone call to Kravet, and grew into 70-plus designers reimagining dozens of spaces. The new 60,000-square-foot Stony Brook House will have 30 family guest suites, a wellness center, and IDS Long Island designing the second- and third-floor corridors. Construction's underway, with an opening planned for fall 2027.

Want to get involved? Head to www.ronaldmcdonaldhouseli.org and look for the Stony Brook Project Design tab — there's a way in for everyone, designers included.

You can learn more about our host Brian Berkowitz:

Brian's Website: https://www.brianberkowitzphoto.com

Brian's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianberko