2010 Donations to RMHC Exemplify the Value of "Strength in Numbers"
Support From Individual and Corporate Donors, McDonald's and Its Owner/Operators Fund the Opening of 11 New Ronald McDonald Houses, 18 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and Put Three New Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles on the Road
Oak Brook, IL (Vocus/PRWEB) December 29, 2010
In 2010, nearly 200,000 families around the world found strength and support while dealing with critically ill children because of generous individual and corporate donors to Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®). Although McDonald's® is the Charity's largest corporate donor, RMHC relies on strength in numbers, uniting individual and corporate supporters, to deliver its programs to more than 11,500 families each day. This year alone, contributions have helped RMHC and its network of Chapters open 11 new Ronald McDonald House® Programs, 18 new Ronald McDonald Family Room® Programs and put three new Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® Programs on the road.
As a corporate donor, McDonald's supports RMHC, Inc. through free use of its facilities, equipment and materials, as well as covering 42 percent of the global organization’s administrative costs, ensuring that a greater portion of donations go directly to the programs supporting children and families that need it. However, at the very foundation of McDonald's support for RMHC are the many Owner/Operators who volunteer their time and money to make local RMHC programs possible. This support dates back to 1974 when McDonald's Owner/Operators in Philadelphia came together to help open the first Ronald McDonald House by donating the proceeds from that year's sale of Shamrock Shakes. Today that support continues as Owner/Operators participate in local and global RMHC boards and support fundraising events like McHappy Day® and Give a Hand®, which has raised $170 million globally since 2002. In 2010, participating Owner/Operators in the U. S. also raised visibility and funds for RMHC throughout the year by making a contribution from the sale of each Happy Meal® and Mighty Kids Meal®. And, RMHC Donation Boxes, that are located on the front counters and in drive-thrus at participating restaurants in the U. S., are the largest ongoing source of fundraising for the Charity, generating nearly $25 million in contributions this year alone.
Having been involved with the Charity for more than 20 years and now serving as president of the RMHC Chapter in South Florida, Alex Rodriguez exemplifies the ways Owner/Operators around the country support the Charity. He is an active member of the U. S. RMHC Scholarship program selection committee helping his Chapter distribute over $40,000 in scholarship awards to 21 students in 2010. And his dedication to the Charity continues, "I am committed to the vision and mission of RMHC, and it's a privilege to invest my time, resources and expertise to help the Chapter move forward to grow and continue to provide stability and vital resources to families so they can get and keep their child healthy and happy. Every year in South Florida, we support 520 families served by the Ronald McDonald House program, and award more than $200,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizations that are also committed to improving the health and well being of children.”
As a member of the Grant Committee that supports children's charities throughout the state of North Carolina, and as a member of the Board of Directors of RMHC of North Carolina, Debra Smith also exemplifies the ways Owner/Operators around the country support the Charity. She leads and participates in many projects that provide vital resources to children in her community. “RMHC does such an outstanding job serving families with seriously ill children and providing grants for community programs for children statewide and globally. This truly motivates me to continue my involvement with RMHC,” said Smith.
RMHC is "everybody's Charity" and support for its programs and services extend far beyond the McDonald's community. In 2010:
-- BrandSource® donated nearly 1,000 major appliances to equip Ronald McDonald Houses and Ronald McDonald Camps in the United States and Canada.
-- Thanks to La-Z-Boy®, the "Official Furniture Provider" for RMHC, families staying in 165 Ronald McDonald Houses and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms found the comforts of home in familiar chairs and sofas.
-- 181 Ronald McDonald Houses in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Hong Kong were kept clean with household cleaning products donated by BISSELL®.
-- Seventy Ronald McDonald Houses in the United States and Canada were made brighter with 6,600 gallons of paint donated by Benjamin Moore®.
-- For 450,000 nights, more than 50,000 parents and other family members slept soundly on beds that Tempur-Pedic® donated to 27 Ronald McDonald Houses in the United States. The list goes on and on.
"There is tremendous power in our donors working together so a child can have access to the medical services they need as well as have their parents close by to give them hugs, kisses and, most importantly, love, which helps them cope better and recover faster," said Linda Dunham, board of trustees chairperson, RMHC.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Through its global network of local Chapters in 52 countries and regions, its three core programs, the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®, and millions of dollars in grants to support children's programs worldwide, RMHC provides stability and resources to families so they can get and keep their children healthy and happy. All RMHC-supported programs provide a bridge to quality health care and give children and families the time they need together to heal faster and cope better. For more information, http://www. rmhc. org.
For more information, contact:
Clara L. Carrier, RMHC
(630) 623-6573 Office
(630) 209-7617 Cell Phone
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