Fundraising effort begins after break-in at Minneapolis Ronald McDonald House

Minneapolis police are investigating a break-in discovered Tuesday morning at the Ronald McDonald House Charities on Oak Street.

“We showed up yesterday, setting up for the day, there’s no 65-inch TV sitting here,” said Amy Ament, COO of Ronald McDonald House Charities, Upper Midwest.

But there were more electronics missing from a lower level common room, including an Xbox gaming console, video games and movies, according to staff.

“Anger, how could someone do this to these incredible people that are already dealing with difficult times,” Ament said.

The suspects did extensive damage to one of the facilities security doors to gain access, according to RMHC staff.

The center is re-examining security protocols with residents and staff after the break-in.

The Ronald McDonald House provides free lodging to nearly 50 families with seriously ill and injured children receiving care at pediatric care centers in the Twin Cities.

“The friendships that we’ve made, the support we have been given, we couldn’t do this journey, without the people we’ve met here along the way,” said Michelle Camden, who has been at RMHC for the last six months.

The family from New Hampshire is here in Minneapolis because their 15 year-old daughter is awaiting an organ transplant.

“It’s heart breaking,” Camden said. “They don’t even understand what they’ve taken in the end.”

Camden says the All-Star Lounge is where families, and kids gather to unwind from the stress of their medical issues, and that’s what the thieves also took, a little bit of their comfort.

Before the suspects left, with the electronics they also swiped food from the grab-and-go fridge set aside for families, according to staff.

Volunteers came Wednesday afternoon to make meals the parents and kids, including staff from the Minnesota Wild, who learned of theft and brought video games for the kids.

The “4 the Kids” campaign was launched to help replace the stolen electronics in the All-Star Lounge.

“It doesn’t go long to have your faith here in humanity restored, that’s the good that’s come out of evil,” Ament said about some of the early donations.