Annie's Fun helps donate $25,000
Blaine Hirai, left, of AnnieÕs Fun, and Tim Nevins, of McCain FoodÕs U.S. McDonaldÕs Business Unit, jointly presented a check to Doug Porter, of Ronald McDonald House Charities.
CHICAGO — Local charity Annie’s Fun and McCain Foods are helping build the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House with a $25,000 donation.
CHICAGO - Local charity Annie's Fun and McCain Foods are helping build the world's largest Ronald McDonald House with a $25,000 donation.
The 100,000 square-foot facility offers 86 rooms for out-of-town families needing housing while their kids are receiving healthcare in Chicago.
The Ronald McDonald House is located near the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Prentice Women's Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Those hospitals currently attract patients and families worldwide.
Quincy farmer Blaine Hirai, of Annie's Fun, said the need is so great, that the old Ronald McDonald House turns people away.
In addition to paying for healthcare, parents from outside the area must pay for a place to stay. In many cases, they're also missing work to be with their child.
"It kind of goes along with what we do at Annie's," Hirai said. "It's for children's education, children's health and for also feeding children. It's nice to be able to do this and give back."
Hirai heard about the project from Tim Nevins, vice president of McCain Food's U.S. McDonald's Business Unit.
Hirai and Nevins recently gave a $25,000 check to Doug Porter, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, for the new facility.
"We are thrilled that Annie's Fun and McCain Foods are supporting our campaign to build the new Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children's Hospital," stated Porter.
"We are very fortunate to have organizations like McCain Foods and Annie's Fun who are committed to helping families," he added.
During the check presentation, Hirai and Porter gave awards to Wai Ling Eng, of the Asian-American McDonalds Operators Association, and Kevin Bradley, director of diversity, of McDonald's USA, for their support and promotion of the Ronald McDonald House.
On Sunday, Annie's Fun and Sodexho are helping kids at the Seattle Ronald McDonald House by providing a dinner of comfort foods.
Chefs from the University of Washington will prepare the meal.