The 2024 Trains at NorthPark raised $1.3 million to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD), a nearly 30% increase from the previous year, making 2024 the most fruitful effort to date. Presented by Bank of Texas, The Trains at NorthPark attracted nearly 50,000 visitors during the exhibit’s seven-week run.
“We are so appreciative of everyone who supported and visited the Trains at NorthPark this year,” said Jill Cumnock, CEO of RMHD. “We set our goal for $1.1 million this year, and we are grateful to have surpassed that. This event would not have been possible without our generous sponsors, TNP co-chairs Cory Bowen and Becky Jones and their committee, and our amazing volunteers.”
The beloved annual family-friendly event raised the money needed to help the RMHD provide a home away from home for families of children facing serious illness or injury seeking medical care in Dallas.
“The Trains at NorthPark has been a significant feature of NorthPark’s holiday season for 26 years, and it is an honor to host such an engaging, fun, and educational experience for families,” said Nancy A. Nasher, President of NorthPark Management Company. “We congratulate Ronald McDonald House of Dallas on this record-breaking year and for all the important work they do for families in need.”
This year’s event included several new features including sensory hours, a LEGO display, S.T.E.A.M experiences and ReBokeh, a mobile based assistive tech software which helps users with low vision to adjust the appearance of the world around them in order to fit their specific needs. The exhibit also unveiled a new gift shop named after Ban Bywaters, who played an instrumental role in establishing this unique fundraising effort 37 years ago.
“Creating the Christmas RMHD train displays and layouts was a joy for me,” said Bywaters. “The smiles on children and family faces were always a great motivator. Thank you, Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, for making special Christmas memories for my wife and I.”
The Trains at NorthPark is the largest miniature train exhibit in Texas with more than 700 railcars featuring the corporations, organizations, families, and individuals who make the attraction possible. Since its launch in 1987, Trains has helped raise nearly $20 million for RMHD and has welcomed thousands of visitors each year to Dallas’ favorite shopping destination.
ABOUT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF DALLAS
Established in 1981, Ronald McDonald House of Dallas has served as a home-away-from-home families of seriously ill children who have traveled to Dallas seeking medical treatment in area hospitals. By providing a caring, supportive, home-like environment, Ronald McDonald House of Dallas keeps the family intact and helps allow a family to establish a normal routine in the midst of crisis. It also provides families with the opportunity to share their concerns with other families in similar circumstances. For more information, please contact Ronald McDonald House of Dallas at 214.631.7354, or visit www.rmhdallas.org.
