The Goddard School® Raises More than $185,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities®

The philanthropic campaign kicked off The Goddard School's 25th anniversary celebration

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To celebrate 25 years of service as the leader in early childhood education, The Goddard School kicked off its festivities with a special philanthropic campaign to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities^® (RMHC^®).

“At The Goddard School, providing children with the opportunities for long-term success in school and in life is the focus of everything we do, so supporting RMHC seemed like the perfect way to celebrate that mission”

To commemorate its milestone anniversary, Goddard Schools nationwide participated in a variety of fundraising activities to support their local RMHC Chapters. In total, more than $185,000 was raised. Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), franchisor of The Goddard School, contributed a gift of $25,000 to help provide families a “home-away-from-home” while their child receives specialized medical treatment far from home through the Ronald McDonald House^® program.

“At The Goddard School, providing children with the opportunities for long-term success in school and in life is the focus of everything we do, so supporting RMHC seemed like the perfect way to celebrate that mission,” said Joe Schumacher, Chief Executive Officer for GSI. “We are extremely proud of each of the nearly 400 Goddard Schools across the nation that helped us with this effort. This clearly demonstrates that when we work together, we can accomplish great things for our communities.”

In addition to collecting monetary donations, children at The Goddard School created birthday cards for their local RMHC Chapters. The birthday cards will be distributed throughout the year by RMHC directors to pediatric patients or family members celebrating birthdays during their hospital stay.

“With the unwavering support of donors like The Goddard School, at RMHC we are able to make a positive impact in the lives of children through our family-centered programs and services,” said J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez, president and CEO, RMHC.

“Our support of RMHC was the perfect opportunity to get the children involved and teach them the importance of giving back to their community,” said Paula Beverage, on-site owner of The Goddard School located in Independence, Ohio. Her school collected pop tabs, auctioned off the children’s artwork and hosted a silent auction to raise more than $3,000 for the Ronald McDonald House in Cleveland.

For Michelle Sims, Quality Assurance Representative at GSI, the partnership between The Goddard School and RMHC had personal significance. When her daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2004, Sims was referred to a pediatric specialist in New York. Unable to afford the constant commute between New York and their home in Florida, the Sims family spent more than five years in and out of the Ronald McDonald House in New York.

“Honestly, we would have never been able to afford to stay in New York for the amount of time we did if it weren’t for the Ronald McDonald House,” said Sims. “Because of the cutting-edge treatment my daughter was able to receive, her life has been saved. I hope people understand this partnership isn’t just about fundraising; it is about making a real, meaningful difference in the lives of families.”

For more information, visit www.goddardschool.com.

The Goddard School^®: Celebrating 25 Years of Learning through Play.

Learning for fun. Learning for life.^SM The Goddard School uses the most current, academically endorsed methods to ensure that children from six weeks to six years old have fun while learning the skills they need for long-term success in school and in life. Talented teachers collaborate with parents to nurture children into respectful, confident and joyful learners. The Goddard School’s AdvancED and Middle States-accredited F.L.EX.^SM Learning Program reaches more than 45,000 students in nearly 400 Goddard Schools in 35 states. The Goddard School’s comprehensive play-based curriculum, developed with early childhood education experts, provides the best childhood preparation for social and academic success. To learn more about The Goddard School, please visit www.goddardschool.com.

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 wellbeing 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-operated and 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 RMHC on Twitter (@RMHC) or like RMHC 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.