Making a difference together: Canadians help raise over $1.8 million for families with sick children

Proceeds from the McDonald's Canada #FriesforGood initiative will support 10,942 nights for families staying at local Ronald McDonald Houses or Family Rooms

TORONTO, Dec. 8, 2020 /CNW/ - From November 10 to November 30, Canadians came together to purchase fries from McDonald's restaurants across the country in support of RMHC^® Canada, raising over $1.8 million. These proceeds will amount to 10,942 nights for families staying at local Ronald McDonald Houses or Ronald McDonald Family Rooms.

The #FriesforGood campaign showed how much Canadians love McDonald's World Famous Fries^™ with these Canadian communities rising to the challenge in support of RMHC Canada*:

• Atlantic Canada collectively purchased the most fries (per capita) compared to any other Canadian provinces
• Whitby residents love their fries! While guests at the McDonald's restaurant at 200 Taunton Road East in Whitby, ON ultimately purchased the most fries, they had close competition from guests at the 16 Confederation Drive restaurant in Corner Brook, NL and the 109-5222 - 130th Ave. SE location in Calgary, AB
• From coast to coast to coast, top fry cities** include:
  • Whitby, ON
  • Prince Albert, SK
  • Hamilton, ON

Although the #FriesForGood campaign is over, there are still many ways to give to RMHC and the families with sick children supported each year at participating McDonald's restaurants:

• Canadians can continue to round up their bill to the nearest dollar at the front counter, drive-thru and kiosk, with the difference donated to the local RMHC chapter
• By donating to the RMHC coin box or by making a cashless donation at the kiosk
• A portion of the proceeds from every Happy Meal^® and RMHC Cookie sold every day goes to RMHC Canada

Quotes:

"Fries for Good saw Canadians coming together across our communities in support of our families, at a time when the need has never been greater," says Cathy Loblaw, CEO, RMHC Canada. "We're so grateful to McDonald's Canada, their franchisees and all crew who worked to ensure this was a great success, and to all of our guests across Canada who generously purchased fries in support of RMHC Canada."

Facts:

• McDonald's Canada initially launched the Fries for Good initiative in May 2020 to help support the Canadian Red Cross. In only two weeks, the initiative raised more than $1.1M.
• Across Canada, there are 34 RMHC programs – including 16 Ronald McDonald Houses, 17 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and 1 Ronald McDonald Care Mobile^® – supporting over 26,000 families with sick children each year
• Last year RMHC supported families from over 3,400 communities across Canada
• McDonald's Canada is the founding and forever donor partner to RMHC Canada and has been there from the beginning, since the first Ronald McDonald House^® opened in Toronto in 1981

*Based on total units sold per restaurant, for cities with a minimum of 3 restaurants

About McDonald's Canada
In 1967, Canadians 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 three million guests every day. In both franchised and corporate-owned restaurants, nearly 100,000 people are employed from 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.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities® Canada (RMHC® CANADA)
In Canada, 65 per cent of families live outside a city with a children's hospital and must travel for treatment if their child is seriously ill. The RMHC network of programs in Canada helps to keep more than 26,000 families close to their sick child and the care they need each year. The 16 Ronald McDonald Houses provide out-of-town families with a home to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital, while the 17 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms provide a comfortable place for families to rest and recharge, right inside hospitals. Through the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®, basic medical care is available to underserved communities in Alberta. For more information, please visit rmhccanada.ca.

SOURCE McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd.

please contact: Kristen Hunter, [email protected]