Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Northeastern Ohio, Inc. Celebrates 25 Years of Service to Children & Families

Ronald McDonald House Charities®

of Northeastern Ohio, Inc.
Celebrates 25 Years of Service to Children & Families

NORTHEAST, OHIO (April 15, 2012) – For 25 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeastern Ohio, Inc., has granted requests from thousands of area nonprofit organizations whose programs benefit children in the areas of health care, medical research, education, the arts, and civic and social service, throughout 20 counties in Northeastern Ohio. 

Ronald McDonald House Charities was created in 1984 in memory of McDonald’s founder, Ray Kroc to reach beyond the Ronald McDonald Houses and help children in need.  In 1987, local McDonald’s owner/operators submitted  official documents with the State of Ohio, which resulted in the incorporation of the first RMHC chapter in the state.

By October 1988, RMHC-NEO hosted its first ever black tie gala fundraising event that raised more than $150,000 to benefit the two Northeast Ohio area Ronald McDonald Houses, located in Akron and Cleveland.  For the next several years, promotions to raise funds through the local McDonald restaurants began and became a successful venture for the chapter.

Months later, RMHC-NEO fulfilled its first grant requests, awarding funds to the Achievement Centers for Children, Bellefaire Jewish Children's Bureau and Muscular Dystrophy Association.

-more-

RMHC-NEO 25 Years/Page 2

Since being established in 1987, RMHC-NEO has awarded over $8 million dollars in grant funds to thousands of organizations that have a long-standing commitment to helping children and families in their local communities.  Grant monies from RMHC-NEO have purchased adaptive equipment for disabled children; furnishings and equipment for domestic violence centers and bereavement centers; bully & violence prevention educational material for middle school students and much, much more.

RMHC-NEO financial support of nonprofit groups whose programs directly benefit children ensures: medical services are delivered to children without health care; resource materials are made available for children’s counseling centers and mental health clinics; social awareness programs are developed that teach school children what it’s like to have a disability; and playgrounds are available that enable children living in domestic violence shelters and homeless shelters a safe place to play.

RMHC-NEO’s mission makes an immediate, positive impact on children’s lives through grant making efforts to the Ronald McDonald Houses® of Akron and Cleveland and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® program – a state of the art, mobile dental clinic that provides dental services to children ages 3 – 12 living in underserved areas of Northeast Ohio.

“We have big priorities…they are all shorter than us, younger than us, weaker than us….and their needs are so very urgent.  We believe that when you help a child, you help their family.  When you help a family, you help the community.  And when you help the community, you change the world.” said Rosie Perez, RMHC-NEO Board Chair and Akron area McDonald’s Owner/Operator.

Today, RMHC-NEO is recognized throughout Northeastern Ohio as a leader in the community, a charitable arm that extends to other non-profits in need of support for families and children through all walks of life.

The RMHC-NEO Board of Directors meets three times a year to award grant funding.  Grant application deadlines are early April, early August and early December.  For more information, contact Ann Newman, RMHC-NEO Executive Director, at 216-986-0855, at email Director@rmhc-neo.org or visit the web site at http://rmhc-neo.org.