Northumberland County residents and visitors can help support treatment and services for local children by hitting the drive-through or dining inside at area McDonald’s on May 8.
Five Counties Children’s Centre is happy to announce it’s the beneficiary of this year’s McHappy Day fundraiser organized by the fast-food restaurant.
“To our knowledge, this is a first for Five Counties,” Bill Eekhof, spokesperson for Five Counties Children’s Centre, told kawarthaNOW.
The children’s treatment centre was chosen as the local children’s charity that will benefit from the annual campaign that launches on April 1. The highlight of the fundraising campaign will be McHappy Day on May 8 at the McDonald’s locations in Cobourg and Port Hope.
“We are extremely grateful to McDonald’s restaurants in Port Hope and Cobourg for choosing Five Counties to be the beneficiary of the annual McHappy Day campaign in Northumberland,” said Scott Pepin, CEO of Five Counties Children’s Centre, in a media release.
“Fundraising efforts like this one allow Five Counties to serve more kids, ensuring they can get the care they need when they need it.”
All money raised from McHappy Day for Five Counties will go towards its Building Abilities For Life campaign, which funds priority, high-demand services like speech therapy and occupational therapy in an effort to reduce long wait times.
“We are thrilled to have Five Counties Children’s Centre as our designated charity for 2024,” said Lisa Wilson, owner and operator of the McDonald’s restaurants in Cobourg and Port Hope.
“Our amazing teams in Port Hope and Cobourg look forward to serving our guests and supporting Five Counties Children’s Centre and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) as they make a difference for the children and families in our communities.”
Wilson’s Port Hope and Cobourg restaurants have raised more than $145,000 since 2014 for local children’s charities and RMHC through McHappy Day.
Lyn Giles, director of fund development at Five Counties, said visiting McDonald’s on McHappy Day “sends a strong message of support to our kids and families that they matter, and that the community believes in them.”
Five Counties Children’s Centre has supported children and youth with physical, developmental and communications needs for nearly 50 years. Last year, Five Counties provided treatment services for more than 1,615 children and youth in Northumberland County.
In total, across its entire region which includes Northumberland, as well as Peterborough, Haliburton County and the City of Kawartha Lakes, more than 6,200 children and youth benefited last year from the centre’s programs, that include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and other treatment services.
Every year, McDonald’s restaurants across Canada support local children’s charities by collecting donations and dedicating to them a portion of sales on McHappy Day. In 2023, McHappy Day raised more than $7.5 million across Canada for RMHC, as well as local children’s charities.
To support Five Counties, local residents are encouraged to visit McDonald’s in Cobourg or Port Hope. On May 8, Five Counties staff, volunteers, families and supporters will be at McDonald’s locations to collect donations and thank visitors for dropping by.
