$2 from every Big Mac will help make a difference to the lives of seriously ill or injured children and their families

16 November 2024: McHappy Day has arrived, and Macca’s is opening its doors across Australia to celebrate the McHappiest time of the year, raising funds for seriously ill or injured children and their families who are undergoing treatment or surgery in hospital. Is there a better excuse for a Macca’s run?

Organised by McDonald’s Australia, McHappy Day is the largest annual fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), raising vital funds to help keep families together and close to the care they need.

Today, Macca’s will be serving up more than smiles for a worthy cause - restaurants will be buzzing with excitement, decked out in vibrant decorations and fun activities for the whole family,

Our Very Important Purple (VIP) ambassador Grimace, with the help of Aussie stars including singer-songwriter and radio television presenter Ricki-Lee Coulter, comedian and radio and television presenter Joel Creasey and more, will be popping up in Macca’s restaurants to share in the joy of giving back and show us what McHappy Day is really all about.

Macca’s will be raising funds for McHappy Day until the clock strikes midnight and you can show your support by:

• ordering a Big Mac from McDonald’s restaurants, via McDelivery or the MyMacca’s app, with $2 from every Big Mac sold going directly to RMHC
• picking up a pair of Grimace or McNugget Buddies Fold-Down Silly Socks for $5.95, or Helping Hands for $2, $10 or $50 from McDonald’s restaurants, via McDelivery or the MyMacca’s app, with all profits going directly to RMHC; and,
• making a direct donation online at rmhc.org.au/give.

Amanda Nakad, Director of Marketing for McDonald’s Australia said, “McHappy Day has always been and will always be a memorable day for our crew and customers, being a cause that is very close to our hearts. We love bringing communities together at their local Macca’s to celebrate, and help raise essential funds for seriously ill or injured children and their families.

“Today, come join us at your local Macca’s, enjoy a Big Mac and have some fun while doing good, helping children and their families in need.

Barbara Ryan, Chief Executive Officer for Ronald McDonald House Charities Australia said, “We want to thank every single person who got involved in McHappy Day this year. We have been blown away by the support from McDonald’s crew and customers, and it’s been a truly incredible experience watching communities across Australia come together for a cause that is so meaningful to the lives of seriously ill or injured children and their families. The money raised will make an enormous difference while these children are undergoing treatment or surgery in hospital.

“The funds raised help us continue to provide families with a place to stay together and close to the care they need, as well as offer spaces for families to spend quality time together, aid with tutoring to help with missed schooling and so much more.

“Every donation counts, no matter how big or small and we are incredibly grateful for your support during the most challenging times for these families.

McDonald’s launched McHappy Day in Australia in 1991 to help raise essential funds for RMHC, with communities proudly showing their support by helping raise over $67 million over the years.

There are now 19 Ronald McDonald Houses supporting over 64,000 Aussie families each year, including six in New South Wales, four in Queensland, three in Victoria, three in Western Australia and one in Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Tasmania.

In addition to providing a home away from home, RMHC has a range of programs including Family Rooms, Family Retreats, Hospitality Carts and a National Learning Program to support families through and after their child’s challenging hospital journey and ongoing recovery.

For more information on McHappy Day, visit: www.rmhc.org.au/mchappyday

ENDS

McHappy Day Fast Facts

• McHappy Day is on Saturday 16 November
• Aussies can also get behind McHappy Day by:
  • buying a Big Mac with $2 from every Big Mac sold going directly to RMHC;
  • purchasing a pair of Grimace or McNugget Buddies Fold-Down Silly Socks for $5.95 or Helping Hands for $2, $10 or $50, with all profits going directly to RMHC; and,
  • o  making a direct donation online at rmhc.org.au/give.

• In 2023, McHappy Day raised over $6.4 million to help RMHC provide over 40,000 nights of a home away from home for seriously ill or injured children and their families, while undergoing treatment or surgery in
• Since McHappy Day began in 1991, the Australian public has raised more than $67 million for
• All funds raised go towards helping RMHC continue to support families in need through Ronald McDonald Houses, Family Rooms, Family Retreats, Hospitality Carts and the Learning

About McDonald’s Australia

Australia’s first McDonald’s restaurant opened in Yagoona, Sydney, in 1971. Today there are over 1,025 McDonald’s restaurants across Australia, approximately 85 percent of which are franchised and run by local businessmen and women. The organisation employs more than 115,000 people in restaurants and corporate offices Australia-wide and is one of the largest employers of youth in the country. McDonald’s spends over $60 million per annum on training and people development.

For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com.au or McDonald’s social channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent charity that helps families with seriously ill and injured children.

The cornerstone Program of RMHC, the Ronald McDonald House, provides families a place to stay so they can be together and near the hospital where their child is receiving treatment. Staying at a House keeps families together and allows parents and siblings to focus on supporting their sick loved ones. RMHC currently has 19 Houses throughout Australia and accommodated over 10,800 families across Australia in 2023.

Other Programs include:

• Ronald McDonald Family Rooms within hospitals which allowed over 44,000 families in 2023 to take a break from long, emotional hours at their child’s
• Ronald McDonald Family Retreats that helped over 300 exhausted families in 2023 unwind and reconnect with each other. Families can enjoy up to a week of free accommodation, at one of six peaceful locations across
• Ronald McDonald Hospitality Carts provided comfort to over 7,000 families in 2023 by the bedside in hospitals by offering free snacks, beverages, boredom busters and practical care
• The Ronald McDonald Learning Program that assists students to catch up on the education they have missed following treatment and recovery. In 2023, over 1,200 students at any given time received one-on-one tuition through the Learning