Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland raises nearly $500,000 with 13th Red Shoe Shuffle

BALTIMORE--- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland's mission is to provide "home-away-from-home" for seriously ill children and their families.

Sunday morning, during their 13th Annual Red Shoe Shuffle 5K Run and Walk, they made history by raising nearly half a million dollars. 

Thousands of runners and walkers come together almost every year to support families staying at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland. 

The 5k course starts at the Big Red Heart at the Ronald McDonald House and takes shufflers through downtown Baltimore along the Harbor and back to the House. 

Ryder Marsh, 15, ran in this year's shuffle and knows all about Ronald McDonald House.

"It's just nice to know that there are people that care and that you're not alone," Marsh said.

Marsh's family is back in Baltimore, visiting from Virginia, for the Red Shoe Shuffle and to show how much this place changed their lives. 

"When I was born, I had a stroke and it caused me to have left cerebral palsy," Marsh said. "And it ruptured one of my kidneys. So we were up here for doctor's appointments and the Ronald McDonald House really just gave us a place to stay." 

Marsh's mother said they stayed at RMDH for more than 100 nights while he received medical care in Baltimore when he was younger.

Now, all grown up, he and his family laced up their shoes to run this race and visit their home away from home. 

"In addition to 2,500 community members, about 450 of our runners are direct family members of Ronald McDonald House. They've either stayed previously or are staying with us now," said Sandy Pagnotti the CEO & President of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Maryland. 

For the first time in more than a decade, the Red Shoe Shuffle was sold out. The RMDH community raised nearly $500,000 dollars to continue helping families.

"You know, the circumstances that bring families to us are sad and tough, but the house is a joyful happy place with support and love and community," said Pagnotti. 

"I love this place. I love the people that work here and I pray that they'll keep doing amazing things," said Marsh. 

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland is the only Ronald McDonald House in the state of Maryland and has been home to more than 40,000 families since its founding in 1982. 

Families who stay at the House come from all over the world to seek medical care from six Baltimore-area hospitals.

Red Shoe Shufflers have raised more than $4.2 million in 13 years.

For more information, please visit rmhcmaryland.org.