Annual donation drive to help families of seriously ill children
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York is celebrating “Christmas in July” and encouraging community members to collect and donate items on its wish list throughout July to support the families of seriously ill children staying at the CNY Ronald McDonald House. Over the past five years, the organization has seen a significant increase in its occupancy rate since opening its large, fully accessible House. In 2016, more than 2,300 family members stayed at the House for a cumulative 4,983 nights. With more families to serve, there is a higher demand for everyday items.
The organization’s wish list includes items of immediate need including, but not limited to: food items, granola bars, fruit snacks, juice boxes, non-dairy creamer, pasta sauce, individual snack bags of chips, K-Cup pods and various condiments; household and office supplies, Ziploc bags, trash bags, dryer sheets, disinfecting wipes, storage containers, “to go” hot cups with lids and white copy paper; Clothing and toy items, newborn and infant sleep sets, toddler outfits (especially boys), baby dolls, Lego-type blocks (large), popular toy figures and Tonka trucks and cars; gift cards, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Wegmans, Target, Price Chopper and Tops.
The organization also has a separate wish list through Amazon to give supporters the opportunity to make donations online. The list includes children’s toys and larger household items. Donations purchased through Amazon will be delivered directly to the CNY Ronald McDonald House.
To view the complete “Christmas in July” wish list, visit rmhcny.org. All donations, including food items, must be new to safeguard the health of the seriously ill children that the house serves.
“Christmas in July” will culminate with a donation drive for community members to drop off donations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, at the CNY Ronald McDonald House at 1100 E. Genesee St., Syracuse. For alternative drop-off times, please contact Lee Wilder at [email protected] or 315-476-1027.
In 2017, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York celebrates 35 years of keeping families close together at the CNY Ronald McDonald House. The house provides the convenience of a comfortable room and warm bed, home-cooked meals, and support and compassion all while keeping families whose children are seriously ill or injured close to Syracuse-area hospitals and medical centers.
Community members can support the organization throughout the year through AmazonSmile, which donates a portion of each final purchase price to a desired charitable organization. To start shopping, log on to smile.amazon.com and select Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY from the list of eligible organizations. For every eligible purchase made, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5 percent of the purchase price to the local organization.
To learn more about Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY and other ways to get involved, visit rmhcny.org.
