World Children's Day at McDonald's Raises Millions to Help Children

World Children's Day at McDonald's Raises Millions to Help Children

November 29, 2007

Funds Raised Support Ronald McDonald House Charities
Expansion Plans; Entertainers Help Honor Ronald McDonald
House Charities Heroes from Around the World

    NEW YORK, Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Five everyday
heroes from around the world were honored today for their
inspiring work on behalf of children in need as part of
World Children's Day at McDonald's. The celebration took
place today at the Ronald McDonald House of New York City,
where McDonald's USA President Don Thompson was joined by
entertainment stars Hayden Panettiere from NBC-TV's
"Heroes;" multi-platinum artist and songwriter,
Ne-Yo; actress, singer and comedienne Angelica Vale; and
celebrity chef Ron Bilaro.

    "As we host World Children's Day across the globe,
we think of the children and families who have been helped
in times of real need," said Don Thompson, president,
McDonald's USA. "We are grateful to everyone who makes
it possible to help children through Ronald McDonald House
Charities (RMHC) and other worthy children's causes, and we
hope many more will be inspired to offer support. That is
what World Children's Day is all about."

    The entertainment stars joined the "Friends of
RMHC" network of more than 30,000 volunteers who
support the Charities' programs in countries across the
globe. "It is very fulfilling to assist children in
need as well as their families," said Panettiere.
"I am honored to support World Children's Day and
Ronald McDonald House Charities to help bring attention to
this very special cause." 

    World Children's Day at McDonald's is a worldwide
annual fundraising effort that comes to life at McDonald's
restaurants in more than 100 countries thanks to McDonald's
customers, owners/operators, employees and suppliers. Since
its inception in 2002, World Children's Day at McDonald's
has raised $100 million to help children and families
through RMHC programs, including Ronald McDonald Houses,
Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles,
grants and scholarships, plus other children's charities.

    At today's event, RMHC also announced a goal to raise
$600 million over the next four years to:
 
    -- Build 68 new Ronald McDonald Houses, for a total of
339, and expand 30
       existing Houses, so that each night 8,000 families
will be able to call
       a Ronald McDonald House home;

    -- Open 56 more Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, raising
the number to 171,
       so RMHC can serve a total of a million and a half
families per year,
       and

    -- Roll out 23 new Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles,
bringing the fleet to 54,
       enabling RMHC to serve more than 420,000 children
each year with dental
       and medical care in their neighborhoods, where they
need it.


    McDonald's Give A Hand Award:

    The first-ever McDonald's Give A Hand Awards were
presented today to five everyday heroes who have overcome
hardships with the help of RMHC, or who do inspiring work
as volunteers for the Charity. Panettiere, Ne-Yo, Vale, and
Bilaro joined McDonald's and RMHC executives to present the
Give A Hand Awards. The awardees are:

    -- Gabriela Lebenas from Buenos Aires, Argentina - the
first Argentine
       RMHC volunteer who helped establish three Ronald
McDonald Houses and
       the first Care Mobile outside the U.S. in her
country.  

    -- Dr. Elvira Directo from Manila, Philippines - an
educator for the
       Department of Education who has volunteered her time
and educational
       skills to extend the Philippines RMHC "Bright
Minds Read" program to 20
       additional cities reaching more than 900 elementary
schools.

    -- Robert Korzeniowski from Warsaw, Poland - a renowned
athlete who, after
       overcoming a serious rheumatic illness when he was a
teenager, went on
       to win four Olympic gold medals in race walking.
Robert now serves as a
       member of the Board of RMHC Poland and is an active
supporter of World
       Children's Day.

    -- Barbara Nelms from Pensacola, Florida - a long-time
volunteer and
       supporter of RMHC who has logged over 700 volunteer
hours at her local
       Ronald McDonald House. It is the support of
volunteers like Barbara
       that makes Ronald McDonald Houses a true 'home away
from home.'

    -- Jessie Rodriguez from Hazelton, Pennsylvania - a
16-year-old liver
       transplant survivor who benefited from RMHC services
during her
       diagnosis and recovery, living for periods of time
at the Delaware
       Ronald McDonald House since she was ten years old.
She is now sharing
       her story of hope to help others.

    Friends of RMHC:

    As part of the day's activities, RMHC President and CEO
Marty Coyne introduced a new dimension to the Friends of
RMHC program, with high-profile entertainers and sports
figures joining the ranks as volunteers.

    Two of the Friends, Panettiere and Ne-Yo, are
conducting a multi-city tour to visit children and families
at a Ronald McDonald House, a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
and a children's hospital. The tour began Monday in Dallas,
continued to Detroit, and culminates after the New York
global celebration with a stop in Philadelphia, where the
first Ronald McDonald House opened in 1974.

    "We are extremely grateful to our new Friends for
using their visibility to raise awareness of RMHC and
improve children's lives around the world," said
Coyne.

    Others joining the Friends of RMHC include:
"Access Hollywood's" Billy Bush;
"ESPN's" Trey Wingo; "Today Show's" Al
Roker; Supermodel Cindy Crawford; Celebrity stylist June
Ambrose; Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis; Actor and TV
host Mario Lopez; and Actress Dayanara Torres.

    About Ronald McDonald House Charities

    Ronald McDonald House Charities, a non-profit,
501(c)(3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs
that directly improve the health and well being of children.
 Its programs are grassroots-driven to enable the Charity to
offer help where children need it most: right in their own
communities. RMHC makes an immediate, positive impact on
children's lives through its global network of local
Chapters in nearly 50 countries and its three core
programs: the Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family
Room and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC and its global
network of local Chapters have awarded more than $440
million in grants and program services to children's
programs around the world. Since the Charity's inception in
1974, McDonald's has supported RMHC and its mission to
improve the health and well being of children. For more
information about RMHC visit http://www.rmhc.org.

    About McDonald's

    McDonald's is the leading foodservice retailer with
more than 30,000 local restaurants serving quality food to
more than 52 million customers in more than 100 countries
each day.  Approximately 70 percent of McDonald's
restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by
independent, local men and women. For more information
about World Children's Day at McDonald's visit
http://www.mcdonalds.com. 

    McDonald's, World Children's Day, the World Children's
Day logo, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald
House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, RMHC, Ronald McDonald
Care Mobile, and Give A Hand are trademarks of McDonald's
Corporation and its affiliates.