McHappy Day 2018

McHappy Day Ambassador Naomi Watts lends her support to help raise vital funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities

Much loved film actress, Naomi Watts has joined forces with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) as the 2018 McHappy Day Ambassador. Naomi will be in the country to lend her support and urge Aussies to help raise crucial funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) this McHappy Day on 17th November.

As the largest fundraiser for RMHC Australia nationally, McHappy Day is vital in raising funds for the charity, which helps keep families together while their seriously ill child undergoes treatment. Since it first started in Australia in 1991, McHappy Day has raised more than $42 million for RMHC, $4 million of which was raised in 2017.

Naomi Watts 2018 McHappy Day Ambassador said, "As a mum, I couldn't imagine being apart from my kids if they were sick or injured. Ronald McDonald House Charities keeps these families together when they need it most and I'm honoured to be this year's Ambassador. I can't wait to head to Australia next month and help McHappy Day raise as much as possible for RMHC."

Barbara Ryan, CEO of RHMC, added, "We're thrilled to have Naomi on board for McHappy Day this year helping us to raise awareness as well us funding for our essential programs for seriously ill children and their families."

"It's the generosity of people right across the country that will help us achieve our biggest McHappy Day yet as we grow to meet the needs of more than 40,000 families who will turn to us for support in the coming year" added Barbara.

Donations for McHappy Day can be made from the 28th of October, head to https://www.rmhc.org.au/mchappyday to find out how you can get involved with this great cause. Some of the ways you can show your support for RMHC include:
• Buying a Big Mac from a Macca's near you - $2 from every Big Mac sold on McHappy Day will go directly to Ronald McDonald House Charities, and for the first time Big Macs will be available all day following the launch of McDonald's all day menu.
• Looking the part by picking-up a pair of $5 McHappy Day socks or $2, $5, $10 or $50 Helping Hands.
• Making a gold coin donation with one of our Bucket Brigades that will be out in full force on McHappy Day and on Sunday 18th November.
• Do your bit over the next 12 months with 10 cents from every 600mL Cool Ridge Water going to RMHC.

Last year, McHappy Day helped with:
• Providing more than 300,000 nights of accommodation or "bed nights" for over 9,000 families.
• Nearly 30,000 families visited our Family Rooms, and 330 were able to use our Family Retreats.
• More than 1,300 students were able to be included in the learning program on any given week.

Donations fund programs including Ronald McDonald Houses, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, Ronald McDonald Learning Program, and the Ronald McDonald Family Retreats. Generous donations already made have helped fund the successful openings of two new Ronald McDonald Houses at Westmead and Perth, as well as the opening of four new Ronald McDonald Family Rooms in Wagga Wagga, Townsville, Newcastle and Perth.