DonahueFavret donates $10,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana playground

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – DonahueFavret and its Driving FORE Charity Fund presented Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana (RMHCSLA) with a $10,000 donation to help fund playground equipment at the Ronald McDonald House located on the campus of Manning Family Children’s.

“We are beyond grateful for DonahueFavret’s generous gift,” said Grace McIntosh, CEO at RMHCSLA. “We cannot thank them enough for supporting our mission to keep families close to the medical care their child needs and for giving them a space to play.”

Many families travel far from home for treatment for their seriously ill or injured children, which can mean long periods away from home and loved ones. To help alleviate this stress, RMHCSLA provides a place where families can stay close to their hospitalized child at no cost.

Nestled inside Manning Family Children’s campus, the 17,500-square-foot House has 22 guest en-suites, a 64-person dining room, outdoor barbecue space, teen game room, playroom, library, business center, laundry room and quiet nooks for respite and reflection. In 2024, the House served 1,068 individuals, 243 families and had more than 4,100 volunteer hours donated.

“At DonahueFavret, giving back is a core part of who we are, and our philanthropy allows us to directly support organizations that make a tangible difference for families in our community,” said John Donahue, President & CEO of DonahueFavret Contractors. “The Ronald McDonald House provides a vital space for healing and togetherness, and we’re proud that this gift will help bring joy and comfort to children through something as simple as play.”

Since RMHCSLA’s founding in December 1983, the nonprofit has served more than 40,000 families from Greater New Orleans and across the world. With the help of the local community, RMHCSLA helps ease the financial and emotional burdens families face as they access critical care for their children.

To learn more about RMHCSLA visit rmhcsla.org. 

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Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana: Since 1983, RMHCSLA has partnered with our local children’s health care providers to keep families together and near the medical care their ill or injured children need. Through the generosity of our donors and volunteers, RMHCSLA continues to focus on families’ needs as they face the medical uncertainty and financial stress of caring for their children. 

Today, RMHCSLA serves critically ill children through our Ronald McDonald House® located in New Orleans on the campus of Manning Family Children’s, Ronald McDonald Family Room® in Lafayette at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital, and Ronald McDonald Hospitality Carts. Through these programs we help provide housing, meals, community, and psychosocial support to families with children at local hospitals across Louisiana, the Gulf South Region and around the world. 

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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