By Kate Smith
McHappy Day on May 8 in Goderich was a huge success and was the best McHappy Day to date, on the 30th anniversary of the fundraiser.
Residents in Goderich supported the RMHC through McHappy Day purchases, raising $7,736 for Ronald McDonald House (RMH).
Any item purchased supported RMH and families with sick children across Canada.
A portion of the proceeds from any menu item help support this program.
Ten per cent of all orders went towards the Ronald McDonald House.
Individuals were also welcome to donate $2, $5, or $10 to get a McHappy Day Heart at the local franchise in Goderich.
“Goderich has always been a great community that supports the local businesses and their charities,” admitted Justin Reid, Owner/Operator of Goderich McDonalds.
“It’s been amazing to be apart of this community for almost 20 years now. We’ve got a very supportive community.”
According to Reid, there are many families from this area who are currently using the Ronald McDonald house.
In fact, Huron and Bruce counties are the two counties that use the RMH-SWO house the most.
“Not that that is a good thing, as you ever want to have to use the house, but this is what it’s there for,” Reid said.
“To keep families close, in a time of need.”
The Goderich McDonalds had lots of activities and events inside the restaurant for kids and parents to participate in, and the Mayor of Goderich, Trevor Bazinet come out to volunteer.
“I want to say a special thank you to all of those people who came out, took time out of their busy schedules, and volunteered to help out on McHappy Day,” added Reid.
“It takes everyone to do their part to make these events successful, and it was so great to see the community come together and support RMHC.”
Over the past 30 McHappy Day events, proceeds have helped RMHC and other local children’s charities support families with over $92.5 million raised to date.
“Across Canada, the impact of McHappy Day is felt every day by families who rely on RMHC to stay close to their sick child during the most unexpected and challenging time in their lives,” said Kate Horton, RMHC Canada’s President and CEO.
“While the impact of our national mission is far-reaching, the need for RMHC is great and growing.”
Last year, McHappy Day raised over $7.5 million across Canada in support of RMHC and local children’s charities.
In 2022, McDonald’s Canada set a goal to donate over $70 million to RMHC by 2026. This would help significantly grow the number of bedrooms for families across Canada over the next 10 years, from 554 bedrooms currently, to more than 860.
In Canada, 65 per cent of Canadians live outside a city with a children’s hospital.
When a child from a rural community gets sick and needs to be hospitalized, families often must travel hundreds of kilometres for the treatment and to support their child.
At Ronald McDonald Houses and Family Rooms (RMHC), families are given a caring place to stay close while their child is treated.
With bedrooms, kitchens, quiet spaces to be together, and a loving and supportive atmosphere, RMHC becomes a home away from home.
The first RMHC in Canada was opened in 1981, and since then 450,000 families have been supported by RMHC’s programs.
There are 16 Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada, and they provide families with a home to stay while their child is treated.
Franchisees and its guests across Canada support the Ronald McDonald House Charities in different ways, including McHappy Days.
A traditional founded in 1977, the first Wednesday in May each year, McDonald’s restaurants across Canada host McHappy Days to support RMHC.
RMHC programs are more than a place to stay. They give families the support and resources they need like meals, mental health, and wellness programming, and sibling support.
Next year McHappy Day will take place on May 14.
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