UIS Cox's Children Center collects items for Ronald McDonald House families

As part of the “Week of the Young Child” kids and parents at the University of Illinois Springfield’s Cox Children’s Center collected items for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois.

The center collected boxes of non-perishable food, toothbrushes, and other personal items for families staying at the home. The Ronald McDonald house serves as a place for families to stay, near the hospital, when a child is facing a life-threatening or serious illness.

“I selected the Ronald McDonald House because I figured if we’re celebrating families we should also help celebrate families that may need some extra help,” said Kendra Ayers, child development supervisor at the UIS Cox Children’s Center.

The Ronald McDonald House, located in Springfield, serves more than 400 families every year in 50 Illinois counties. It costs about $30,000 a month to keep the house open.

“Partnerships are key in order to continue to serve the families,” said Kelly Thompson, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois. “If we didn’t have places like Cox Children’s Center doing these types of things for us we wouldn’t be able to operate.”

As part of the fundraising drive, Ronald McDonald himself came to pick up the items children collected at the center. He also helped with a balloon launch in celebration of the “Week of the Young Child”.