Round Up for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Indiana

The Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis has been a special place for families of children receiving medical care at Riley Hospital and other Indianapolis area hospitals. This “home away from home” is provided for families at a rate that is subsidized by donors and other funds. I stopped by the Ronald McDonald house to meet some of the families, get to know the local McDonald’s owner operators and connect with the house staff. McDonald’s of Central Indiana has a way that you can help Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) and I learned all about it so I could share the information with you.

This month, McDonald’s announced a new, and easier, way to donate to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) with the launch of Round-Up for RMHC. The innovative technology introduces giving to the menu by providing customers the opportunity to Round-Up their purchase to the nearest whole dollar. 

With the option available at approximately 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants nationwide, customers now have an easier and more convenient way to donate to RMHC and help families with ill or injured children stay together with home- cooked meals, private bedrooms, fully equipped kitchens and laundry facilities near to the medical care they need at leading hospitals. 

The new technology allows customers in our increasingly cashless society to Round-Up for RMHC at the digital self-order kiosk and the front counter, all year-round, regardless of what payment method they prefer. Customers simply select the “Round-Up for RMHC” button at checkout on the kiosks or let the cashier at the front counter know they would like to Round-Up their purchase. 

“At McDonald’s, we know the importance of bringing families together. For over 45 years, McDonald’s, our franchisees and our customers have been proud supporters of Ronald McDonald House Charities,” said Chris Kempczniski, McDonald’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “As a founding mission partner of the Charity, McDonald’s remains committed to leveraging the size and scale of our restaurants to promote and raise money to support the growth of the Charity.” 

To highlight how each donation benefits RMHC families, McDonald’s unveiled a new “Menu of Moments” today. Priceless moments are made possible with the help of McDonald’s customers when they choose to Round-Up for RMHC and keep families together when they need each other most. Even the smallest of donations can make such a big difference to families, spending time together in a ‘home-away-from-home’. Imagine:  

• Ninety-two cents: can help allow a parent to read a bedtime story to their sick child
• Forty-two cents: can help provide 10-minutes for a family to sing together  
• Twenty-one cents: can help ensure five minutes of laughter with the entire family 

For families with children receiving medical treatment, it’s those moments, those minutes, those nights with each other that give them the strength and support they need. 

“We could not achieve our mission of providing families a place to stay while their child undergoes medical treatment without support from the community and corporate partners like McDonald’s,” said Sheila Musolino, president and CEO, RMHC. “Round-Up for RMHC will support the expansion of core programs and services to help families find strength and comfort when they need it most.” 

It costs an average of $80 a night to house a family; in 2018, RMHC provided more than 2.5 million overnight stays in communities around the world, saving families over $930 million in food and lodging costs. For decades, the RMHC Donation Box program inside McDonald’s restaurants has been a convenient way for customers to donate spare change at the point of purchase, and they are not going away. While customer donations to the collection boxes remain significant, there has been a drop (15 percent in 2018). As part of its continued commitment to innovation and technology, McDonald’s developed Round-Up for RMHC technology to serve as an additional donation option for customers as our society becomes increasingly cashless. The convenience and simplicity of Round-up for RMHC has been well received in restaurants where we have tested this technology, with customers already donating $2.2 million, helping to provide many priceless nights together for families across the U.S. 

“With every cent donated to RMHC, McDonald’s customers are providing families something priceless, time together, and we cannot thank them enough for their support and generosity,” said Indianapolis McDonald's Owner Operator Randy Shields. “Round-Up for RMHC makes giving easier and we hope this innovative approach to fundraising will continue to support Ronald McDonald House Charities for many years to come.” 

From December 10-22, McDonald’s owner/operators will host “60 Minutes of Moments” events at select restaurants across the country, inspired by the moments families share at a Ronald McDonald House, such as dances and craft parties. The events will give local community members an opportunity to come together and see firsthand the impact RMHC has on families, while also having fun. 

To learn more about Round-Up for RMHC at McDonald’s, please visit www.RMHC.org/mcdonaldsgiving