Alison Wootten

Ronald McDonald House

Press Kit

Ronald McDonald House

News Release

Contact: Alison Wootten

January 21, 2015

Phone: 573.470.9312

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

alison.m.wootte@gmail.com

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks

Mission
The mission of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is to create, find and support
programs that directly improve the health and well being of children in the Ozarks. Our
first priority is to provide a home away from home for families when their seriously
ill or injured child is in the hospital far from home. Ronald McDonald House Charities
helps lessen the burden for nearly nine million families every year.
History
Founded nationally in 1974
Chapters in 62 countries and regions across the globe
In 1988, the Ozarks Chapter was founded
The Ronald McDonald House has embraced more than 9,445 families in the Southwest
and Northwest Missouri during times of unspeakable hardship.
Who do we help?
9,455 families over the past 25 years
3,082 nights have been spent in both the locations in the Ozarks
Each house has 10 rooms
Families with children from pre-birth through age 21, who are undergoing treatment at a
Springfield medical facility, are eligible to stay at the Ronald McDonald House
The average length of stay is seven nights
Each family is asked to pay seven dollars per night
Ill children receiving outpatient treatment also may stay at the house with their families
The Ronald McDonald House has hosted thousands of families of all economic levels.
The top five diagnoses among children of families in the houses are prematurity,
respiratory, surgery, learning/stress, and trauma

###
For more information or to donate to the Ronald McDonald House Charities go to
http://www.rmhcozarks.org/rmh/giving/
Contact:
Mindy Munoz
417.891.1238
mind.munoz@toothtruck.org

Ronald McDonald House

News Release

Contact: Alison Wootten

January 29, 2015

Phone: 573.470.9312

FOR IMMEDIATE RELSEASE

alison.m.wootten@gmail.com
Give local
Springfield, Mo. (February 26,2015)- Youve heard shop local. Now it is time to give
local.
Throughout the hustle and bustle of your every day lives, do you ever stop to think about
giving back to your community? The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks is a fun and
meaningful way to get involved with your community and change the lives of families every
single day.
The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks offers a place to stay for the families with children
who are ill and staying for a prolonged period at one of the hospitals in the local area. The
Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks gives these families a home away from home.
The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozark is a great place to volunteer for those looking to
assist families during their time away from the hospital. The Ronald McDonald House of the
Ozark provides a haven where families can cook a meal, do laundry, relax, and find comfort
and support.
Volunteers make a difference in the lives of all the families that walk through the doors. By
simply cooking, hosting, listening, nurturing, or simply being a friendly ear to listen,
volunteers can be of assistance to those families who are going through hard times.
After being personally impacted by the Ronald McDonald House about ten years ago, my
family and I finds time throughout the year and every Thanksgiving to go back to the Ronald
McDonald house and give back to them for giving so much to us.
The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks offers an array of different volunteering
opportunities throughout the year. For those willing and able to offer time each week, the
Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks offers a spot as an In House weekly volunteer. Other
opportunities to volunteer included preparing meals for the families staying at the house,
helping with fundraisers, or simply going and helping over the holidays.

There is no help to big or small. The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks also welcomes
donations.
(MORE)
The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozark posts monthly wish lists for the community. These
items include everything from light bulbs to DVDs fro the families to watch during their stay.
Financial contributions of any amount are also highly needed.
Another great way to help the Ronald McDonald House of the Ozark is through the collection
of pull-tabs. Collecting the pull-tabs from cans is an easy and fun way to support the Ronald
McDonald House Charities.
The Pull-tabs collected at the Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks are shipped to a
recycling center for processing. They then receive money from the recycling center based on
how many pounds of pull-tabs they deliver. Annually the pull-tab collection program generates
over $14,000 to support the services at the Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks. Every pulltab helps.
###
For more information or to make donations, please visit:
http://www.rmhcozarks.org/rmh/giving/
Contact:
Mindy Munoz
417.891.1238
mind.munoz@toothtruck.org

Ronald McDonald House

News Release

Contact: Alison Wootten

January 29, 2015

Phone: 573.470.9312

FOR IMMEDIATE RELSEASE

alison.m.wootten@gmail.com

Ronald McDonald Charities of the Ozark

Springfield, Mo. (January 29,2015)- The first Ronald McDonald House opened its doors on
October 15, 1974 in Philadelphia. The first Ronald McDonald House was opened after former
Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hills daughter Kim was being treated for leukemia at St.
Christophers Hospital for Children.
After spending a few years camped out in the hospital while Kim was being treated, the Hill
family noticed families would travel several hundreds of miles to the medical facility but were
unable to afford a hotel room.
After noticing this problem affected more than just a few families, the Hill family decided they
were going to do something about it.
With the help of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Hills raised funds for families being treated at the
hospital. The Hills enlisted the help of the local McDonalds advertising agency, who with the
support of McDonalds Regional Manager Ed Rensi, launched the St. Patricks Day Green
Milkshake promotion. The funds raised from the promotion went towards purchasing and old
house located near the hospital.
The house purchased came to be known as the Ronald McDonald House in 1974- a home
away from home for families of ill children.
By 1979, more than 10 more houses were added. By 1984, local communities founded 60 more
houses. Today, more than 250 Ronald McDonald House programs in 26 countries. Ronald
McDonald Houses have provided care for more than 10 million families since they opened.
After addressing the problem of families not being able to afford a hotel while their children
were in the hospital, the Ronald McDonald house recognized children of low-income families
were not receiving proper dental care.
(MORE)

The Ronald McDonald House opened the Tooth Truck to assist in oral hygiene for children in
the Springfield area who cant afford dental care. The Ronald McDonald Tooth Truck seeks to
accommodate thousands of low-income children in the Springfield area who do not have the
means to acquire dental treatment.
The Ronald McDonald Tooth Trucks reach just over 200 square feet in size, and they still have
all the equipment to provide children with a full range of dental services. These services
include general cleanings, root canals, x-rays, fillings, and much more
(http://www.rmhcozarks.org/tooth-truck/inside).
Since opening its doors 10 years ago, the Tooth Truck has helped over 13,000 children valued
at $7.6 million. The budget for the Ronald McDonald Tooth Truck exceeds $600,000 annually.
The Tooth Truck operates five days a week to complete each childs treatment plan.
There are different ways for people to get involved with the Ronald McDonald House. Each of
the Ronald McDonald Houses has an option for families to bring meals in for those families
staying at the houses.
Another way to get involved with the Ronald McDonald House is to collect pop tabs. The tabs
collected can be taken and dropped off at any of the Ronald McDonald House locations. The
money from recycling these goes right back into the house.
###
For more information or to make donations, please visit:
http://www.rmhcozarks.org/rmh/giving/
Contact:
Mindy Munoz
417.891.1238
mind.munoz@toothtruck.org

Ronald McDonald House

News Release

Contact: Alison Wootten

January 29, 2015

Phone: 573.470.9312

FOR IMMEDIATE RELSEASE

alison.m.wootten@gmail.com

Public Service Announcement

15 SECONDS
(ANNOUNCER): WANT TO GET INVOLVED, HELP OTHERS, AND HAVE FUN IN THE
PROCESS? VOLUNTEERING AT THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF THE
OZARKS WILL ALLOW YOU TO DO JUST THAT. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF THE OZARKS-DOT-COM.

30 SECONDS
(ANNOUNCER): THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF THE OZARKS HAVE BEEN
HELPING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST THIRTY YEARS. FROM
BEING A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR FAMILIES WITH SICK CHILDREN TO
HELPING UNDERPRIVILEDGED KIDS WITH ORAL HYGIEN THE RONALD
MCDONALD HOUSE HAS BEEN IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY ALONG THE WAY.
TO GET INVOLVED OR DONATE VISIT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF THE
OZARKS-DOT-COM.

(MORE)
60 SECONDS
(ANNOUNCER): YOU HAVE HEARD SHOP LOCAL. NOW IT IS TIME TO GIVE
LOCAL.
THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF THE OZARKS IS A FUN AND MEANINGFUL
WAY
FOR YOU TO GET INVOLVED AND GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY. THE
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF THE OZARKS OFFERS NUMEROUS WAYS FOR
YOU TO GET INVOLVED. YOU CAN DONATE YOUR TIME BY HELPING PREPARE
AND SERVE MEALS TO THOSE FAMILES STAYING AT THE RONALD MCDONALD
HOUSE, COLLECT POP TABS, OR EVEN MAKE A DONATION FOR THE CAUSE.
(FEMALE): AFTER PERSONALLY BEING IMPACTED BY THE RONALD MCDONALD
HOUSE MY FAMILY AND I GIVE BACK TO THEM EVERY THANKSGIVING AND BY
COLLECTING POP TABS. ITS A SMALL THING WE CAN DO FOR EVEYRHTING
THEY DID FOR US.
(ANNOUNCER): TO MAKE A DONATION OR FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
VOLUNTEERING GO TO RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF THE OZARK-DOT-COM.
###
Contact:
Mindy Munoz
417.891.1238

Ronald McDonald House

News Release

Contact: Alison Wootten

January 21, 2015

Phone: 573.470.9312

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

alison.m.wootten@gmail.com

The Tooth Truck Celebrates 10 Years of Service

Springfield, MO. (January 22, 2015)- The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the
Ozark celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Tooth Truck on Tuesday, July 10. The
celebration was held at the Boys and Girls Club Musgrave Unit.
The Ronald McDonald Tooth Truck seeks to accommodate thousands of low-income
children in the Springfield area who do not have the means to acquire dental treatment.
Since opening its doors 10 years ago, the Tooth Truck has helped over 13,000 children
valued at $7.6 million. The budget for the Ronald McDonald Tooth Truck exceeds
$600,000 annually. The Tooth Truck operates five days a week to complete each childs
treatment plan.
The Ronald McDonald Tooth Truck reaches just over 200 square feet in size, and they
still have all the equipment to provide children with a full range of dental services. These
services include general cleanings, root canals, x-rays, fillings, and much more
(http://www.rmhcozarks.org/tooth-truck/inside).
Medicaid reimbursements and donations are what help to fund the services provided by
the Tooth Truck. After its debut in 2002, the Tooth Truck has established locations at over
25 locations in the Springfield Area.
The Tooth Trucks first priority is to help. Every child that shows up at the Tooth Truck
leaves with a healthier smile.
Along with the treatment process for the students eligible for assistance, the Tooth Truck
also utilizes school nurses to help educate parents and students on the importance of oral
hygiene.

(MORE)
Along with a healthier smile, the children utilizing the services provided by the Tooth
Truck are also walking away with an added level of confidence. The treatment plans are
putting more smiles on childrens faces.
###
For more information or to make donations, please visit:
http://www.rmhcozarks.org/rmh/giving/
Contact:
Mindy Munoz
417.891.1238
mind.munoz@toothtruck.org

Press Conference
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks
Intro: Catherine and I would like to thank you for coming out our press conference
regarding the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks and their upcoming
events.

The mission of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is to create, find and support
programs that directly improve the health and well being of children in the Ozarks. Our
first prioroiity is to provide a home away from home for families with seriously ill or
injured children staying at hospitals that are far from their homes. Ronald House
Charities help lessen the burden for nearly nine million families every year. The Ronald
McDonald House was founded nationally in 1974, and the Ozarks chapter was founded in
1988. The Ronald McDonald House has embraced more than 9,455 families in the
Southwest or Northwest Regions of Missouri during times of unspeakable hardship.

The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks has experienced great success in recent years
with several of their fundraising events. The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks has
several partnerships with businesses in the area and hosts a number of different events
each year to help raise funds to keep the charity going.

In efforts to maintain the success of the events, we would like to announce some of the
upcoming events for the Ronald McDonald House Charity.

Sertoma All-Star Weekend

Do not miss our 2015 Sertoma All-Start Weekend! It all starts with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on
Friday, June 5 for the Grin Iron Classic, Southwest Missouris All-Star High School
Football Game. The best volleyball all-stars in Southwest Missouri will start their annual
tournament on Saturday, June 6 at Noon. Enjoy a great weekend of high school sports
and support the Tooth Truck!

26th Annual Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr. Pepper

The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks has been a grateful beneficiary of this
WEB.COM TOUR event for 25 years. One of the primary ways the House is supported
is through the charity Sweepstakes Ticket Program. For every $25 ticket you purchase,
you will receive admission to all four tournament days, August 13-16. Each ticket also
includes a chance to win daily prizes with a minimum $25 value each AND a one in
10,000 chance to win a 2015 Ford Mustang or $10,000 cash. One-hundred percent of
your ticket purchase will benefit the Ronald McDonald House when purchasing your
tickets through our organization.

2nd Annual Paint it Forward

Join us on Friday, August 28 as Obelisk Home brings us the 2nd Annual Paint it Forward
cocktail party and auction featuring collaborative artwork created by local artists paired
with children of families that have benefited from our two Ronald McDonald Houses.
This event is open to the public.

Inaugural Red Shoe Gala

Put your red shoes on and join us for the inaugural Red Shoe Gala. It will be an evening
of dinner, dancing, and entertainment featuring Own Network Star & Recording Artist
Jake Simposon. 100% of the proceeds of this event will benefit families in the Ozarks
through the two Ronald McDonald Houses and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
(fondly known as the Tooth Truck). Sponsorship opportunities are now available.

Question/ Answers
Q: If we cannot attend the event, is there another way for us to donate to the Ronald
McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks?
A: Yes, you can sign up for our family dinner program and prepare meals for our families
staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Another way to help is to collect pop tabs and
drop them off at any of the house locations. You may also donate items to our Tooth
Truck program such as toothbrushes, dental floss, toys, crayons, books, etc. These items
will be provided to our parients as special rewards during their dentist visit. Items may be
dropped off at the Ronald McDonald House on East Primrose Street from 9 am to 9 pm.
Q: How many families have the Ronald McDonald House Helped?
A: The Ronald McDonald House has helped nearly 9,445 families over the past 25 years.
Q: How can we volunteer or get involved with the Ronald McDonald House
Charities?
A: Individuals interested in visiting the House to learn more about our volunteer program
are encouraged to call and schedule a tour! Our hours of operation are 9 am to 9 pm every
day. Talk to either of us after the press conference to pick up an application.
Q: How old do you have to be to volunteer?

A: There is no age requirement to volunteer with the Ronald McDonald House Charity.
Although, we do ask that if you are under 16 you have a parent or adult volunteer with
you.
Q: Can I volunteer on a weekly basis?
A: Yes! The Ronald McDonald House of the Ozark encourages people to get on a
schedule and volunteer on a weekly basis! For more information on that talk to one of us
at the conclusion of the press conference and we will give you more information!

We will now be concluding the question session of this press conference. Thank you!