One Little Coin to #doDifferent
Health care has been a prevalent thought on people’s minds, as Covid forced many to think about their health and mortality. Now, imagine having a critically ill child in the hospital. The stress, the hours of travel, the concern about it my child getting all of the care they need. This would be scary for many parents, and children. That’s why, this week, we are looking at a multinational company that has taken it upon itself to #doDifferent and create safe havens in stressful times, whilst keeping families close to each other and the care they need.
McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in South Africa in November 1995. Today, they operate over 300 restaurants across South Africa. McDonald’s is renowned for its training throughout the world, having trained and employed over 12 000 South Africans at various levels, including franchisees, restaurant managers and crew.
From the beginning, McDonald’s has been a company committed to doing the right thing, for their clients, staff and communities. They take the responsibility that comes with being a leader very seriously. This is why they have helped their customers build better communities and have been a major supporter of the Ronald McDonald’s House Charities™ (RMHC™) South Africa, leveraging their size, scope and resources to help make the world a better place.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities™ (RMHC™) South Africa is a non-governmental organisation that creates, finds and supports programmes that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. RMHC™ South Africa was established in 2012 by a community of people, including McDonald’s and its owner/operators, who understood the need to improve the lives of children and their families during difficult times. Their vision is a world where all children have access to medical care and their families are supported and actively involved in their children’s care. They support the critical needs of children through three core programs: Ronald McDonald House™, Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®.
RMHC™ helps families by accommodating them near their critically ill and hospitalised child in a Ronald McDonald House®; providing a place for families to rest in a Ronald McDonald Family Room® in the hospital just steps from their sick child’s bedside; and providing healthcare services such as vaccinations, dental and optical services to vulnerable communities through a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®. All RMHC™- operated and supported programs, enable family-centred care, provide a bridge to quality health care, are a vital part of the healthcare continuum and give children and families the time they need to cope better together. These programs also help to reduce stress and financial burden for families and help their hospitals deliver the best care possible.
Wondering how you could support these programs? Well, when you make a purchase at McDonald’s, you can donate R5 at the time of purchase. This R5 donation goes to help fund these programs, enabling families to stay close to their seriously ill children during difficult times. It also helps to fund more of these programs to be created all across South Africa.
So the next time you are visiting a McDonald’s, why not add R5 on to your bill and #doDifferent in the lives of critically ill children and their families?
To find out more, click here.
