McDonald's Celebrates Opening of World's 300th Ronald McDonald House

OAK BROOK, Ill., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- McDonald's Corporation celebrates with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) the opening of the world's 300th Ronald McDonald House this week in St. Louis on the campus of St. John's Mercy Medical Center. Hundreds of families each year will now be able to refresh, relax and support each other at the House while their children are receiving life-saving treatment for conditions such as cancer, heart disease and birth defects.

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A dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting will be held at the 300th Ronald McDonald House on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010 at 11 a.m. Central.

"At today's opening of the world's 300th House, we are proud to honor all of the families who have found strength over the years while fighting for their children's recovery," said Jim Skinner, McDonald's chief executive officer. "Ronald McDonald House Charities is the heart and soul of McDonald's, and our support of this charity is one of the most rewarding things we do."

The seeds were sown for this 300th Ronald McDonald House 36 years ago in Philadelphia.  The daughter of former Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill underwent years of intense medical treatments, and out of that hardship grew the idea to create a "home away from home" near a hospital where families could stay together during difficult times.

The generous McDonald's Owner/Operators in Philadelphia rallied together with the Company to raise funds to build the very first Ronald McDonald House.  That powerful idea has been repeated 300 times in communities around the world and here in St. Louis.  

"When our very first Ronald McDonald House was built in 1974, no one could have imagined that one day, we might open another – let alone 300 of them," said Marty Coyne, RMHC president & CEO.  "The new House in St. Louis is a testament to the commitment and support of the local Chapter, deep relationships with the medical community and the generous support of the staff, volunteers, and individual and corporate donors.  Just like the 299 Houses before it, this House will ensure families have more than a place to stay, but also a place to find strength - emotionally, physically, and spiritually - as they focus on healing their children."

Ronald McDonald Houses welcome nearly 7,200 families every single night, saving them approximately $250 million a year in hotel costs alone.  The Houses provide comfortable beds, warm meals, hot showers, and families who share similar challenges of having seriously-ill children.

This new $4.5 million Ronald McDonald House is the third in Metro St. Louis and will serve approximately 700 families annually.  It was made possible by lead gifts from St. John's Mercy, the St. Louis McDonald's Co-Op and other generous contributors. The project is contracted by Kadean Construction, designed by Gray Design Group, and financed through UMB.

RMHC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, and McDonald's is its largest corporate donor. Portions of the annual operating costs for Ronald McDonald Houses are funded by McDonald's and owner/operators of local McDonald's restaurants. The remainder of annual operating income comes from the generosity of individual and corporate donors. 

For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities, please call (630) 623-7048 or visit www.rmhc.org.

About McDonald's

McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with more than 32,000 locations serving 60 million customers in more than 100 countries each day. More than 80% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. To learn more about the company, please visit www.aboutmcdonalds.com and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/aboutmcdonalds) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/aboutmcdonalds).

About Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Through its global network of local Chapters in 53 countries and regions, its three core programs, the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®, and millions of dollars in grants to support children's programs worldwide, RMHC provides stability and resources to families so they can get and keep their children healthy and happy. All RMHC-supported programs provide a bridge to quality health care and give children and families the time they need together to heal faster and cope better. For more information, www.rmhc.org or follow us on Twitter (@RMHC) and Facebook (Facebook.com/RMHC Global).

Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald House, RMHC, and McDonald's are all trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

SOURCE McDonald's Corporation