RMHC honors Hereford McDonald’s as fundraising champion

HEREFORD – The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Amarillo celebrated the McDonald’s that raised the most money in the area for the second quarter’s Quarterly Review Challenge Wednesday afternoon at McDonald’s in Hereford.

As the top fundraising store out of 24 other locations, Hereford McDonald’s raised $2,293.33 in the Round-Up for Ronald McDonald House Campaign. The business unit for the region, including all 25 stores, raised $13,006.86, with stores in the Texas Panhandle, eastern New Mexico and Guymon, Oklahoma.

The money is raised by customers rounding up their change, which averages 43 cents per completed transaction. The total raised was enough to provide 130 nights of housing for families traveling to Amarillo for medical treatment.

A key factor in the Hereford store’s success, which management cited as a way to raise money, was the “Thankful Thursday Campaign,” in which employees encourage customers to raise money to help support Ronald McDonald House’s mission. According to Ronald McDonald House officials, Deaf Smith County is one of the largest recipients each year, providing 53 nights of comfort care and support for Hereford families through the second quarter of 2024.

As a token of appreciation for their efforts, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Amarillo visited the Hereford store to hand out snacks and a shiny title belt in honor of their fundraising effort.

Wes Gaffney, general manager of McDonald’s Hereford, spoke about his team’s success in persuading customers to donate to charity.

“It feels great to see our crew working so hard for a great cause,” he said. “We really enjoy the interactions with our customers on Thankful Thursday. There are ways to donate every day, but we really make Thursday a day to focus on this, asking each guest to round up their total.”

Gaffney and his team are very competitive, especially when it comes to raising money for charity.

“There’s no Thursday that we don’t make this push; it’s not like it’s a bad Thursday so we’re not going all out,” he said. “My team has a big heart and wants to make sure that the people who have to use the Ronald McDonald House are the best that they can be. My team does what they have to do to make our Thursday fundraiser happen every week.”

Gaffney expressed confidence in his team’s ability to continue helping others.

“If you go to another McDonald’s and you get them to come together, tell them I challenge them to take the belt,” Gaffney said.

Haley Matlack, family support coordinator for the Ronald McDonald House in Amarillo, spoke about the importance of these donations in the roundup program.

“These funds raised go directly to our mission in Amarillo to help our families, many of whom come to Amarillo from Hereford and the surrounding areas to have babies and care for their children,” she said. “McDonald’s, as our founding partner, gives one cent from every Happy Meal sold, but the easiest way to support us is through the Roundup program, which is a huge part of helping our families.”

Matlack urged customers to complete their shopping at their local McDonald’s to help support families in need.