Local McDonald’s restaurants helped Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha (RMHC) again this past holiday season through a “Giving Tree” program in which community members may purchase and donate needed household items listed on miniature trees on display at McDonald’s.
The Giving Trees – which are currently located in all McDonald’s in Central and Eastern Nebraska, as well as Western Iowa – are decorated with approximately 50 ornaments, which offer a suggested item to donate. Ronald McDonald House carefully considers and lists items currently needed including new and unused household supplies, pantry items, and other donated products for its residents. Examples include, but are not limited to: bleach, latex-free gloves, non-perishable breakfast items, and hand sanitizer.
Introduced in 2011 by Erin Barr, a McDonald’s owner-operator in southeast Nebraska, the Giving Tree program was started to engage the customers of McDonald’s in Nebraska and Iowa and provide specific needs of the Ronald McDonald House. The program generated donations from all local McDonald’s restaurants.
The Giving Trees were on display the day after Thanksgiving through the week before Christmas. All donations were delivered to RMHC before the end of the year. For more information on Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha (RMHC) , please visit www.rmhcomaha.org.