Frozen brand marks 35 years of family charity
FROZEN potato foods brand McCain Foods GB has fired up its support of the McDonald’s-run charity Ronald McDonald House Charities UK.
Marking 35 years of the fast food chain’s organisation, McCain has donated a generous £35,000 to Ronald McDonald House, a charity which provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for the families of children in hospital.
Further to this, McCain has also gifted all 14 homes across England, Wales and Scotland Ninja Air Fryer machines as well as regular donations of frozen potato products and recipe cards which aim to provide these families with quick and simple meals, reducing the time spent away from children on the ward.
The food will help the over 500 families that stay in these houses across the UK which help to keep families together during stressful times, especially if they have had to travel far from their own homes to receive treatment.
This also follows on from the bleak picture that the Ronald McDonald House Charity found last year after the organisation conducted a survey to see how the cost-of-living crisis had impacted on families who had recently stayed in one of the houses.
The survey found:
• Almost a quarter of families had skipped meals to help make ends meet.
• 28% of respondents said they had gone cold to avoid using heating at home.
• More than 40% have asked family or friends to borrow money.
• 58% have cut back on non-essential spending.
• And 91% agreed that staying in a Ronald McDonald House helped to ease the financial burden of having a child in hospital during the cost-of-living crisis.
Mum Jo Connett, whose daughter Esther undergoes treatment for Adams-Oliver syndrome – a rare condition which causes scalp, bone and limb defects – said: “I can cook two different meals simultaneously, making family dinners a breeze.
“In just 20 minutes, I can whip up a delicious and healthy meal for all of us, allowing us to spend more quality time together.
“After a tiring day at the hospital, being able to quickly prepare a meal and relax is a lifesaver. Thank you, McCain, for supporting us during this challenging journey.”
Janet Pennington, senior corporate partnerships manager at Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, said: “We’re so grateful to McCain for giving so generously. We have a longstanding partnership with the company, which has seen staff volunteer in our Houses, take on fundraising challenges, and support our gala dinners and golf days.
“The air fryers will help us to reduce our electricity bills, which have skyrocketed during the energy crisis. But most importantly, the appliances, along with the gifted frozen food, are enabling families to have a bit of normality during such difficult times.
“Helping families to be able to sit down together to enjoy a hassle-free meal at the end of a long day on the ward is priceless, and we can’t thank McCain enough for their generosity.”
Further strengthening its support for the McDonald’s charity, McCain also hosted a family party day at the Ronald McDonald House Manchester on 28 May, bringing with them their head chef and team of caterers so families could enjoy hassle-free cooked BBQ along with the entertainment put on for the siblings of children in hospital.
Jillian Moffat, GB regional president at McCain Foods, said: “Ronald McDonald House Charities UK is an amazing organisation, and we are honoured to make this donation to help fund their vital work providing ‘home from home’ accommodation and support to families with a child in hospital.
“We work closely with the charity as part of our ongoing community work and have seen first-hand just how much they support struggling families who are going through incredibly difficult times.
“By donating air fryers, we hope to reduce electricity bills whilst also allowing families to experience some normality by sitting down together to enjoy an easy to prepare meal at the end of a long day.”
