“Sport a Shirt” Fund-raising Campaign For Ronald McDonald House

The Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of Charlotte is looking for area businesses to participate in its upcoming 2010 “Sport a Shirt, Share a Night” Fund-raising campaign.

Participating Charlotte-area companies will encourage their employees to purchase a RMH T-shirt for $10 and wear them on Friday, April 23, 2010. The purchase of one $10 T-shirt will cover a family’s donation for a night’s stay at the RMH while their child is receiving medical treatment at area children’s hospitals. Last year, the RMH of Charlotte sold more than 4,100 T-shirts, raising more than $41,000. The goal is to sell 7,000 T-shirts this year.

“Even though it costs approximately $70 to host a family for one night at a House, families are asked for a donation of $10 a night,” said Mona Johnson-Gibson, Executive Director of RMH of Charlotte. “Sometimes, even this amount is a financial burden for families; however, the RMH never turns a family away because of their inability to pay. That’s why we are inviting area businesses to participate in this unique and special fund-raiser to help our families.”

Businesses and their employees are asked to support this fund-raiser by following two easy steps:
· Designate Friday, April 23, 2010 as “Sport a Shirt, Share a Night” Day, where employees are encouraged to wear their RMH T-shirts.
· Have a company appoint a team coordinator. The coordinator will encourage others to make a $10 donation in exchange for a T-shirt. The coordinator is responsible for accepting donations, submitting the company’s T-shirt order form, picking up the T-shirts in April and distributing them to participating employees. Completed order forms are due Friday, March 12, 2010.

For more information about the 2010 “Sport a Shirt, Share a Night” Fund-raiser, call (704) 335-1191 or email charlottesportashirt@gmail.com.

About the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte
Currently, Charlotte is the only major U.S. city that does not have a RMH. The RMH of Charlotte is scheduled to open in late 2010 and will serve the families of children being treated at Levine Children’s Hospital and Hemby Children’s Hospital. Located on the 1600 block of East Morehead Street on land donated by Carolinas Medical Center, the House will feature approximately 35,000 square feet of living space complete with 28 bedrooms (one family per bedroom/suite), providing more than 10,000 nights for the families. It is also scheduled to have a community kitchen, great room, learning center, playground and sitting porch, and construction has begun. The RMH of Charlotte is an independent 501(c)(3) charity managed by a local board of directors which will oversee construction and operation of the home. The cost of building and operating the RMH of Charlotte will come primarily from individual and corporate donations. The RMH of Charlotte will be funded, constructed and operated by the Charlotte community. The mission of the RMH of Charlotte is to provide the families of children being treated in area medical facilities with a safe, affordable and caring “home away from home.” For more information on RMH of Charlotte, visit www.rmhofcharlotte.org.

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