Communities across Canada continue to rally on McHappy Day, supporting the lives of families with sick children across Canada and other local children's charities

TORONTO, May 10, 2024 /CNW/ - McDonald's Canada is proud to share the results of this year's McHappy Day® efforts as another record-breaking year of support rolls in! This year, McDonald's guests, franchisees and crew showed up like no other, helping to rally support and raise over $8.9M for Ronald McDonald House Charities ® Canada (RMHC® Canada ) and other local children's charities in Canada.

The immense support from this year's event helped make the 30^th McHappy Day here in Canada worthy of celebration for another reason. Thanks to all the support, McHappy Day has officially surpassed $100 million raised since the first event in Canada in 1977.

Michèle Boudria, President and CEO at McDonald's Canada, expressed gratitude saying, "We are overwhelmed by the incredible support we received during McHappy Day this year as we surpassed $100M raised over the past 30 McHappy Day events. McHappy Day has a profound impact on families and children across Canada and would not be possible without the generosity of our guests, Crew and franchisees who make this day so special."

The funds raised on McHappy Day go directly towards providing essential services, supporting families staying at RMHC Houses and Family Rooms across Canada including accommodations, food programming, mental health and wellness support, and so much more while their child is receiving medical treatment at a nearby hospital. 

"RMHC is an essential pillar of support for families with sick children across Canada, with programs and services that provide a sense of community, remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when children need healthcare, far from home. And with 4 out 5 families unable to access support due to lack of space, RMHC has never been more needed than it is today. Thanks to the generous support of McDonald's Canada, restaurant teams, and guests on McHappy Day and every day,  RMHC can continue caring for families across Canada so they can focus on what matters most – their sick child." said Kate Horton, President and CEO at RMHC Canada.

In addition to supporting RMHC on McHappy Day, McDonald's Canada together with its independent franchisees, restaurant teams and guests, extends their support year-round through mechanics like Round Up, self-order kiosk and coin box donations, and by directing a portion of the proceeds from every Happy Meal® and RMHC Cookie sold to support families staying with RMHC in communities across Canada.

In 1967, Canada welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving close to one million guests every day. In both franchised and corporate-owned restaurants, nearly 100,000 people are employed from coast to coast to coast, and more than 90 per cent of McDonald's 1,400 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent franchisees. Of the almost $1 billion spent on food, more than 85 per cent is purchased from suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald's Canada, visit mcdonalds.ca.

In Canada, two out of three families live outside a city with a children's hospital and must travel for treatment if their child is seriously ill. The impact of RMHC across Canada is far reaching as today, 1 in 4 Canadians have either stayed with RMHC or know someone who has. The 16 Ronald McDonald House® locations provide out-of-town families with a home to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital, while the 18 Ronald McDonald Family Room® programs provide a comfortable place for families to rest and recharge, right inside hospitals. For more information, please visit rmhccanada.ca.  

SOURCE McDonald's Canada

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