RMHC Grants Provide Access to Medical Care for Children and Families

OAK BROOK, IL--(Marketwire - Aug 14, 2012) - This July, the global offices of Ronald McDonald House Charities^® (RMHC^®) awarded three grants, totaling $749,094 to other non-profit organizations working to provide health care education, training and resources to health care professionals in communities in Africa, Latin America and the United States. Through its global grants program, RMHC seeks to fund sustainable projects that include a "train-the-trainer" model to their methodology and demonstrate measurable results as they address some of the most urgent issues related to children's health. RMHC funded these three projects in July 2012:

• Partners in Health received $407,460 to train generalists and maternal health specialists in topics such as nutrition, reproductive health and HIV prevention in rural Rwanda.
• National Cancer Foundation/CureSearch received $203,643 to support the training of child life specialists working with childhood cancer patients in pain management, end of life care, adolescent best practices.
• Miraclefeet received $138,000 to support the treatment of clubfoot for children in Ecuador through the Ponseti method.

Through its Global Grants program, RMHC invests in U.S. based organizations, operating domestically or internationally, that implement long-term projects with proven results in the areas of performance, community outreach and financial sustainability. Funds for these three organizations will extend access to high-quality pediatric care for more than 11,000 children in rural Rwanda; provide proper treatment and care for 960 children born with clubfoot in Ecuador; and further the education and capacity of child life specialists, helping approximately 30,000 children with cancer in the United States.

"At RMHC we aim to do the most good, for the greatest number of children. But we realize that we can't do it alone. Our Global Grants program enables us to direct funds into areas where it's most needed, to other non-profits solving some of the toughest issues in pediatric care efficiently and effectively," said Marty Coyne, president and CEO, RMHC. "Grants to organizations like Partners in Health, CureSearch and miraclefeet expand our capacity to make a sustainable and measurable impact on children around the world."

Since 1974, RMHC has been part of the change and part of the solution in eliminating barriers that prevent children from getting the care they need by investing in longstanding not-for-profit organizations like CureSearch. "CureSearch for Children's Cancer is honored to receive a grant from RMHC so that we can provide Child Life Specialists with ongoing education and skills for working with children with cancer," said Erica Neufeld, vice president of Communications, Education and Advocacy. "We hope that the training we will provide will translate into positive interactions between the Specialists and the patients they care for." Ultimately, the RMHC Global Grants program helps the charity quickly move donation dollars to children and communities in their greatest time of need.

This is the Charity's second cycle of grant funding for the year. RMHC will continue to invest in charitable organizations that work to improve access to health care. Grant proposals for the fall grant cycle is now available. New applicants can apply here. For more information, visit the Charity's grants page at: http://rmhc.org/what-we-do/grants/.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities^® (RMHC^®), a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Through its global network of local Chapters in 57 countries and regions, its three core programs, the Ronald McDonald House^®, Ronald McDonald Family Room^® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile^®, and millions of dollars in grants to support children's programs worldwide, RMHC provides stability and resources to families so they can get and keep their children healthy and happy. All RMHC-supported programs provide a bridge to quality health care and give children and families the time they need together to heal faster and cope better. For more information, visit www.rmhc.org, follow us on Twitter (@RMHC) or like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/RMHC Global).

The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald's Corporation and its affiliates: Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald House Charities Logo, RMHC, Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.