McDonald House Named in Top US Charities List
6 February 2002 at 12:02 pm
US Publication Worth Magazine has named Ronald McDonald House Charities, which is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of children world wide, as one of America’s 100 Best Charities.
Ronald McDonald House is one of the few highlighted Not for Profit organisations that has direct operating links with Australia.
The list of 100 top charities was complied following Worth Magazine’s evaluation of 400 US-based National and International charities.
Worth Magazine says the American IRS recognises 819,000 US charities with 45,000 new ones added in 2001 alone!
Worth editor, John Koten wrote the magazine started with groups that already have a reputation for being among the best in their field, which they limited to education, the environment, health, human services and international relief and development.
Ronald McDonald House was recognised as one of 25 Best Health Charities.
Worth writers say they approached the evaluation as if their own money was at stake. The resulting series of articles conclude that if you had six months to research the best charities to give your money and your trust to, Worth Magazine is confident you’d come up with the same list. They say researchers didn’t simply go by the numbers but also looked at what the charities do and if they are making a real impact.
The report says that as a rule at least 50% of income from all sources should go to charitable programs with the rest going to administration and fundraising. With this standard in mind Worth Magazine also published a list of “12 organisations to avoid” – or the ‘dismal dozen’. In most of these cases more was spent on fundraising than on actual programs.
Ronald McDonald House Charities operates in 44 countries including Australia. To date the organisation’s national body and global network of charities have awarded more than $300 million to children’s programs.
RMHC President and CEO, Ken Barun says the recognition by Worth Magazine is well deserved by the donors, suppliers, and McDonald’s owner/operators as well as the thousands of volunteers who have helped build the charity around the world.
To read the series of articles in the December issue of Worth Magazine go to www.worth.com/magazine/index.cfm.
McDonalds in Australia has just relaunched its national web site and under the ‘Community’ banner lists partnerships and discusses opportunities in each state. To check it out go to www.mcdonalds.com.au.
