Buy a brick for Ronald McDonald House this month
McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland today officially launched Ronald McDonald House Charity (RMHC) Month, which it hopes will see customers across the country dig deep for a great cause this October. Customers at each of McDonald’s 90 restaurants around Ireland can support the construction of a Ronald McDonald House at the new National Children’s Hospital by purchasing a ‘brick’ sticker for just €1 and building a symbolic ‘house’ in each restaurant. All funds raised by McDonald’s during the month-long campaign will go directly to the charity.
McDonald’s Ireland has been a Mission Partner of RMHC since 1998, raising over €465,000 for the charity annually through a series of fundraising initiatives. McDonald’s support of the charity extends from monetary donations and volunteerism, to cause-related marketing promotions such as ‘Helping Hands’ and ‘RMHC Month’ and McDonald’s customers contribute daily to the RMHC Donation Boxes in every restaurant. As the charity receives no funding from either the HSE or the Government, it relies on the ongoing support of McDonald’s owner operators, suppliers, employees and customers to keep this vital service running.
RMHC currently provides accommodation for families whose children are seriously ill and are undergoing medical treatment at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. The new €16 million RMHC facility, which is due to open on the grounds of St James’s Hospital in Dublin in 2020, will have 53 en suite family bedrooms, family kitchens and dining rooms, laundry rooms, a large children’s playground, a garden for both adults and children to enjoy and underground access to the new hospital.
Launching RMHC month, RTE broadcaster and RMHC ambassador Brenda Donohue said: “Ronald McDonald House is an essential resource for parents of children who are seriously ill. Research shows that children and parents who use the facility experience less stress and improved sleep, which helps them cope with the difficulties they are going through. The charity really benefits from the support provided by McDonald’s so I would encourage customers to ‘buy a brick’ in any McDonald’s restaurant across Ireland this month to support this very worthy cause.”
McDonald’s Ireland MD Adrian Crean added: “McDonald’s Ireland has partnered with RMHC since 1998 and we are very proud to support the fantastic service the charity provides to families who rely on it at what is often the most difficult time imaginable. We couldn’t do it without the unwavering support of our loyal customers who always give so generously, as well as of course McDonald’s suppliers, staff and owner operators. The construction of a new and bigger house is a major milestone and I would urge our customers to continue supporting this great cause by ‘buying a brick’ at one of our 90 restaurants around the country this month.”
All funds raised through McDonald’s RMHC month go directly to the charity.