McDonald's® and San Diego Padres Raise $460,000 for Tijuana's Hospital Infantil

In a fund-raiser that crossed international borders, McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD) and the San Diego Padres helped raise more than $460,000 at a sold-out San Diego Padres baseball game on May 1st. Proceeds from tickets sold at Sunday's game will benefit the Hospital Infantil de las Californias in Tijuana, Baja California, and help provide cleft palate and other life-changing surgeries for children.

With matching funds donated by John and Rebecca Moores, owners of the San Diego Padres Baseball Club, the money raised will pay for surgeries of more than 500 children who would normally lack access to these medical procedures. Funds raised will also help with the construction of additional surgery rooms and an urgent care facility.

"This fund-raiser for the Hospital Infantil is an outstanding example of what can happen when organizations like McDonald's Corp., the individually- owned McDonald's restaurants in San Diego and Tijuana, and the San Diego Padres come together on a cause they are passionate about," said Don Thompson, president of McDonald's West Division. "This was a historic game that crossed international boundaries to benefit deserving yet underserved kids."

Jaime Alto, a young Hospital Infantil patient who had recently had cleft palate surgery, threw out the first pitch, with Ronald McDonald serving as catcher. Jaime then visited the Moores' skybox to watch the game, capping it off with a visit to the locker room where he met and had his bat signed by his favorite member of the San Diego Padres.

"In his first-ever venture into the United States, Jaime was beaming and wore the most beautiful smile all night long," said Steve Ramirez, a McDonald's owner/operator in San Diego who helped spearhead the fund-raiser. "The support of the fans present and what Jaime saw and experienced was an opportunity of a lifetime. It was nothing short of magical."

The fundraiser was made possible by the generous donations from McDonald's, the McDonald's Hispanic Owner Operator Association, Coca-Cola® and the San Diego Padres.

"The event was unique in that it exemplifies the willingness of corporations and individuals to work together to benefit children -- our future," stated Elizabeth Jones, M.D., co-founder of the Hospital Infantil de las Californias. "We are grateful to McDonald's and the San Diego Padres, and all of our generous sponsors and supporters recognizing the needs of the children of our region, and that disease has no boundaries."

To help promote the fund-raising game, which coincided with the "Day of the Child" celebration in Mexico, more than one million trayliners were distributed at McDonald's restaurants throughout the San Diego and greater Tijuana regions. Additional major participants and sponsors included Mattel Corp. and Qualcomm.

McDonald's is the world's leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 McDonald's restaurants serving 46 million customers each day. More than 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent, local businessmen and women.

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SOURCE: McDonald's Corporation

CONTACT: Mirna Aceituno, McDonald's Corp., +1-630-623-6432

Web site: http://www.mcdonalds.com/