Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of South Texas and McDonald’s maintain a deep, long-standing relationship as founding and mission partners. While McDonald’s is the largest corporate partner, RMHC South Texas operates as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Key Aspects of the Relationship
- Founding & Mission Partnership: McDonald’s has been the foundational partner of RMHC since the first house opened in Philadelphia in 1974.
- Local Owner-Operator Leadership: Local McDonald’s owner-operators, crew members, and the Rio Grande Coastal Bend Syndicate Co-op actively serve on the RMHC South Texas board of directors, volunteer, and lead major fundraising efforts.
- Major Financial Contributions: Local McDonald’s owner-operators provide significant major gifts, including a landmark $1 million pledge to help build the new Corpus Christi facility.
- Independent Governance: Local McDonald’s restaurants and co-ops do not fully fund the charity; local owner-operator contributions and community/corporate donations combine to sustain the organization’s housing, family rooms, and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.
Annual & Seasonal Fundraisers
- Share the Love Campaign: Held each February across South and Central Texas, where customers can add $1, $3, or $5 donations at McDonald’s registers or drive-thrus. Local operators recently presented RMHC South Texas with a $62,990 check from this campaign.
- In-Restaurant Giving: Customers support RMHC year-round through Round-Up for RMHC (rounding up purchases to the nearest dollar) and in-store donation boxes.
