On Tuesday, Jan. 24, 69 McDonald’s Restaurants in the Ozarks will begin encouraging customers to support Springfield’s two Ronald McDonald Houses by donating $1, $5 or $20 and adopting a heart. With every heart adopted, the contributor will have an opportunity to enter a social media contest holding their signed heart with the message “I shared my heart #forRMHCozarks” for a chance to win one of four $250 Great Southern Mastercard gift cards. For 36 days, this wonderful support will be evident with supporters sharing their hearts on social media. Over 40 mayors in the participating region are being asked to support the campaign by proclaiming February 13-19 “Ronald McDonald House Week in their towns. McDonald’s of EL Dorado Springs will proudly participate in the Share a Heart Campaign.

Help for Local Families – The Ronald McDonald House Mission On any given night, up to 24 families of seriously-ill children are staying at Springfield’s two Ronald McDonald Houses. The Ronald McDonald House near Cox South Hospital has 14 bedrooms and has been welcoming families for nearly 34 years; and the id-bedroom Ronald McDonald House at Mercy Kids has been helping families for 10 years. In a typical year, more than 800 families found a “home-away-fromhome”, hope and comfort at Springfield’s Ronald McDonald Houses, including those receiving daytime-only accommodations. Thanks to the generosity of the Ozarks, our families receive home-cooked meals through the organization’s Family Dinner Program, laundry facilities, transportation to hospitals, and support from volunteers and staff who truly care. The most needed and appreciated benefit is shared between families as they encourage one another and share a true understanding of having an ill or injured child.

Over 15,000 families have benefited from Springfield’s Ronald McDonald Houses since opening, including 203 Cedar county families, 107 of which are residents of El Dorado Springs. Enclosed is a profile of an area family that stayed at our Ronald McDonald House this year and will be displayed at the area McDonald’s Restaurants owned and operated by Charles Marshall Also enclosed is contact information for area families willing to share their stories. For a video tour of both Houses, family testimonials, and more information, visit https://rmhcozarks.org.

Generous Sponsors & Results

The 2023 Share A Heart Campaign is presented by McDonald’s of the Ozarks, and continues to thrive with support from Leadership Sponsors, Great Southern Bank and KY3; and Supporting Sponsors, Mid-Am Metal Forming and CoLorGraphic Printing. McDonald’s and KY3 have sponsored the Campaign for its entire 30-year history.

The Share a Heart Campaign raised over $121,000 for Springfield’s Ronald McDonald Houses in 2022. Donations from the private sector provide 100% of the Ronald McDonald House operating expenses, which exceed $900,000 annually.