Local franchises raise $37K to expand Ronald McDonald House

PROVIDENCE – Sixty local McDonald’s restaurants in the Providence area recently raised $37,000, in 17 days for the expansion of the Ronald McDonald House of Providence.
The nonprofit houses families with critically ill children as they receive care.
Providence area McDonald’s owner/operators and employees encouraged customers to donate through an optional monetary donation add at check-out for two weeks earlier this fall.
Funds will support the expansion of the Ronald McDonald House of Providence, which is set to be completed in spring 2016. The money raised by the restaurants and their local communities will be matched by the Rhode Island-based Champlin Foundation’s Community Match Grant to total $74,000.
“The Ronald McDonald House of Providence is the only organization in the state of its kind,” explained Michael Fantom, CEO of the Ronald McDonald House of Providence. “We keep families together during medical crises and provide residential support next door to the pediatric hospitals in Providence.”
In doing its work, the nonprofit “regularly exceeds” the house’s 18-bedroom capacity, Fantom said.
“When we embarked upon the ‘Always Room at the House’ campaign to expand, the local McDonald’s owner/operator community along with their loyal customers were first to raise their hands and ask how they could help,” he said. “We are so appreciative and in awe of the community response in such a short period of time.”
In 2014, the Ronald McDonald House of Providence housed 335 families, but 185 families have been turned away from care in the past three years due to lack of space. The expansion will provide an additional 10 bedrooms to the 18-room facility, which will help more people during difficult times, Fantom said.
To date, $4.1 million has been raised for the house expansion, including a $1 million donation by the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern New England, as part of the campaign.