RMH

Bradford West Gwillimbury 

November 7, 2013

By Dominik Kurek

Bradford’s McDonald’s supports families of ill children by helping make sure families have somewhere to stay when their young ones are in a Toronto hospital.

The Bradford location was one of 16 northern Ontario McDonald’s locations that raised $1 million for Ronald McDonald House Toronto’s recently-built facility on McCaul Street in downtown Toronto.

The new facility is larger than the previous Ronald McDonald House in Toronto.

“We are deeply moved by this phenomenal donation from northern Ontario McDonald’s restaurants,” Jane Marco, chief executive officer of Ronald McDonald House Toronto, said in a media release this week.

“A large percentage of families who stay at the House come from cities and small towns in this part of the province. It is heartwarming to see this outpouring of support for families who have no choice but travel to Toronto to access life-saving medical treatment for their child.”

The funds will support Ronald McDonald House — a home away from home for families of seriously ill children to heal better together.  

In 2011, the new house opened to serve 81 families per night, tripling the previous capacity.

It provides affordable accommodation, basic comforts of home, and specially designed programs and support services to help families cope during the most difficult time of their lives.

More than 80 per cent of families of seriously ill children who stay at the house while their child receives medical care at nearby paediatric hospitals in Toronto come from Ontario.

Of these families, more than one-third arrive from northern communities in the vicinity of a McDonald’s franchisee who is part of the $1 million dollar donation, according to the organization.

Since November 2011, the house has had more than 600 family visits from northern Ontario communities.

http://www.simcoe.com/news-story/4196195-bradford-mcdonald-s-raises-1m-for-cause/