We are a proud partner of the Ronald McDonald Children's Fund. The support of carers is one of the basic goals of our Community Impact program, and through this partnership we also try to do our bit. The Children's Fund is committed to helping children with medical needs and their families, including by building Ronald McDonald houses in Belgium and the Netherlands.

In these houses, which are built near hospitals, parents, brothers and sisters of sick children can stay for extended periods of time. This means that they are always close by and can give them a hug whenever they want. It is very important that sick children are supported by having their family near to them. It gives them a sense of security, which is very important at such an uncertain time.

In addition to houses, the Children's Fund also creates living rooms in hospitals, where parents can escape from the hospital atmosphere. They can do things such as read a book or make decisions about their child's treatment plan in peace and quiet.

The first house in Belgium

Partly thanks to our help, Belgium also got its first Ronald McDonald house, in Jette. The house has ten private rooms for families, as well as common areas where families can share experiences and find support in a homely environment.

Cooperation through support and volunteering in the Benelux

We are not only supporting the construction of the houses, but also actively encouraging our employees to work as volunteers for the Ronald McDonald Children's Fund. For instance, some look after the garden of one of the houses and some take part in sponsored cycle rides such as the annual HomeRide. In addition, we have paid for the production of the Children's Fund cuddly toy. We also sell them in our store, and donate all the proceeds to the Ronald McDonald Children's Fund.

We see our cooperation with the Ronald McDonald Children's Fund as a good example of a project in which we invest in sustainable partnerships and get our employees involved in volunteering.