A fast-food chain has raised $32,000 for the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).
When the national McHappy Day campaign was postponed due to COVID-19, owners of London's 14 McDonald's restaurants crafted a new fundraiser aimed at helping the city's hospitals.
Throughout the month of May, local McDonald's sold ‘Support our Heroes of Health’ bumper stickers for $5, with each customer who purchases one getting a free coffee or tea.
The bumper stickers brought in $32,000, which will go toward supporting healthcare workers at the LHSC through the Health Sciences Foundation (LHSF) COVID-19 Response Fund. Some of the donated cash will also be put into the LHSC’s First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP) - an early intervention and treatment program for those between the ages of 16 and 25 with early-onset mood and anxiety disorders.
"These are strange and difficult times that we are currently trying to navigate. As franchise owners, we wanted to show our staff that we are dedicated to supporting mental health and well-being during this difficult time and to support the front-line workers at the hospital," Jason Lessif, London McDonald's franchise owner, said in a statement. “With McHappy Day being postponed and the idea of a bumper sticker put forward, we decided to join in and support how we could. The community was incredibly generous and willing to donate to help the cause."
When McHappy Day is rescheduled, likely in the fall, half of the proceeds will also be donated to FEMAP. The other half will be donated to Southwestern Ontario Ronald McDonald House.
"While we have received tremendous support for our COVID-19 Response Fund, the community has also stepped up for other important programs such as FEMAP," said LHSF’s President John MacFarlane. “Through our amazing partnership with McDonald’s over the past year, FEMAP has been able to start expanding their services to help more youth, more quickly. Each donation is making a huge difference in the lives of the youth in our region. We are truly grateful."