Successful McHappy Day Supports Youth and Families in Our Community
The owners of McDonald’s restaurants in North Bay and Sturgeon Falls presented two cheques of $6,005.15 each, to One Kids Place Children’s Treatment Centre (OKP) and North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) Foundation. The donation was made possible through the restaurant’s McHappy Day initiative, which annually donates a portion of the total proceeds to local charities. This year McHappy Day saw an increase in 17% thanks to the generosity of our community.
Colin and Vanessa MacWhirter, had their first McHappy Day as owners in 2021 and each year the day has grown in size, fun and impact!
“We could not have done this without our hardworking restaurant teams, our dedicated volunteers, and our loyal guests that came to support us on this day!” shared the MacWhirters. “Each menu item purchased and each dollar donated counted towards this total. We are truly humbled by the support from the community and we thank you for making this our best McHappy Day so far! Together, we are ensuring children and youth have access to the care they need, close to home,” they added.
“McDonald’s donation to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit (CAMHU) ‘Wrap-Around Fund’ supports patients both in their transition from hospital to home, and in their recovery journey in the community. When youth and their families are requiring the supports of CAMHU, their family routines and plans are impacted at a most difficult time in their lives. With these funds, we can better support patients and their families with the tools and resources needed for their recovery,” said Kelly Smirle, Manager, CAMHU.
“One Kids Place recently launched our Family Support Program which is a funding initiative designed to support the individual needs of our children, youth and families. The Family Support Program takes a personalized approach to financial assistance requests for children and families accessing services at One Kids Place regardless of means, diagnosis or need. Our donation from this McDonald’s initiative will enable us to further assist our families and provide valuable supports and unique equipment that may otherwise be unattainable. Thank you McHappy Day!” said Katharine Strang, Director of Development and Community Relations, One Kids Place.
Katharine Strang, Director of Development and Community Relations, One Kids Place and Tammy Morison, President and CEO, NBRHC Foundation are grateful to be included in the McHappy Day initiative and thank the MacWhirter family, the staff at McDonald’s and all of the volunteers from McHappy Day. The community support has grown each year, and they congratulate them on their ongoing success and their commitment to our community and our youth.