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Local McDonald's owners pledge $1 million for new Ronald McDonald House

The donation will be used to build family-centered spaces in a new 40-room House to serve more families who must travel for their children’s healthcare needs.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Having a child in the hospital can be a scary time. Some families that travel for their child's care sometimes end up not having a nice place to stay near the hospital. 

That's where the Ronald McDonald House Charities comes in. 

Each year, thousands of families make their way to Driscoll Children's Hospital because their child’s health and wellbeing is at risk. Some of these families find a home with the Ronald McDonald House Charities. As families pursue critical healthcare for their children, the House is grateful to provide a place of respite and comfort, whether for one night or until they can return home.

Unfortunately, the house is at maximum capacity and families still need assistance. 

A recent donation from local McDonald's owner-operators will help change that.

RELATED: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Corpus Christi has a new name, expanded mission

Local McDonald's owner-operators recently pledged $1 million to build a new Ronald McDonald House.

The donation will be used to build a new 40-room House to serve more families who must travel for their children’s healthcare needs. This pledge is the largest commitment to the Ronald McDonald House to date. 

“Ronald McDonald House Charities has been our mission partner for over 40 years, and we are proud to lead this campaign with the first million dollar gift, and hope that our commitment helps others to support this much needed expansion, as well.” said Ed Lutito, McDonald’s Owner-Operator and President of the Rio Grande Coastal Bend Syndicate Co-op of local owners.

The pledge was a surprise presentation to the Ronald McDonald House Charities South Texas at the Love & Laughter fundraising event.

“This gift from our local McDonald’s Owner-Operators is a true testament to inspire others who can give. It is heart breaking to tell a family, we don’t have enough rooms to serve them, this gift gets us closer to solving this problem. ” said Michelle Horine, Chief Executive Officer, RMHC South Texas.

"There's plenty of families in need and we want to service every one of those families that have a home away from home. Especially during this pandemic just getting donations and things has been a challenge for everyone and we really need your help now more than ever," said Lutito. 

Daniel Nash is the board president, RMHC-South Texas. He shared the pledge is special, but also comes at a crucial time as more rooms and a larger house are needed to better serve the South Texas community as a whole. 

"This right here is a massive step forward. We still need help. We still need community support, but this goes a very long way."

Construction is scheduled to begin once the fundraising goal meets 80% of the financial support needed. 

If you're interested in becoming involved with Ronald McDonald House-South Texas, there are several ways to do so. Click here to learn about the opportunities available. 

For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.

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