Ronald McDonald House prepares for biggest fundraiser of the year

McHappy Day is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton, which aims to help hundreds of families.

The fundraiser begins Thursday as the charity offers families who live across South Central Ontario a place to stay while their kids receive treatment at McMaster Children’s Hospital.

CHCH News follows the story of little 24-week-old Zunayrah Harris, who born in February in the neonatal intensive care unit (NIC-U) at McMaster Children’s Hospital.

“She’s tiny but mighty, as the nurses say in the NIC-U, and she’s getting stronger each day,” said Farrah Aslam, Harris’s mother.

Harris’s parents Aslam and Syed, and older sister Summayyah live about an hour away in Kitchener, but they have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House right across the street from MacKids.

“Being so close has just brought such a sense of ease and I haven’t been driving due to the complications after my delivery,” said Aslam.

Aslam says living at the house is helping during this challenging time.

“I often think that if I got discharged and went home to Kitchener, I would be far and I wouldn’t necessarily have that sense of community with families – who are, you know, experiencing similar or the same feelings,” said Aslam.

One of the things that Harris’s parents say they appreciate the most about Ronald McDonald Hose is the intentionality that has gone into some of the services they provide, like having a kitchen where they can make their own meals.

“We see each other in the house – breakfast, dinner time – and everybody every day will ask like, you know, ‘how’s it going’ or ‘what’s an update’?,” said Aslam.

While there are many areas in the house, such as a movie room, Aslam says the game room is her family’s favourite.

“There’s a nice lounge,” she said. “We often have visitors who come, so we bring them down here to hang out as well.”

Since Jan. 1, the Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton has served over 300 families.

“And by the end of the year, it will be well over a thousand families that have stayed in this house,” said Meaghan Moore, the director of advancement at external relations at the South Central Ontario branch of Ronald McDonald House.

Moore says funding comes from events like McHappy Day, where a portion of proceeds from every food and beverage item sold at McDonald’s Restaurants goes to Ronald McDonald House and other local charities.

“On days like McHappy Day, our incredible McDonald’s community in southern Ontario will help us raise, hopefully, over half a million dollars for our house,” said Moore.

Families like Harris’ can be close while children like Zunayrah receive much needed care.

WATCH MORE: RMHC South Central Ontario offers the comforts of home to families staying there