Hi friends, Lacey here. Thanks for visiting my fundraising page. I need YOUR help! It's time to whip out that card and do something great today. Skip the take-out lunch, and put those dollars to good use.

Help me reach (and beat!) my goal of raising of $1,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas. Any donation is helpful, and a little goes a long way. Want to be extra awesome? Fund a weekend stay for a family. A full list of how your money makes an impact is below. 

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WHERE DOES YOUR MONEY GO? WHAT COULD IT BUY?

• Give $10 - - This will cover the cost for a family to stay at RHMC for 1 night.
  • Did you know that about 80% of those staying at the house struggle to pay the $10 donation? And did you know that no one will be turned away if they are unable to pay? Are you in the position to help take the burden off a family with a child in the hospital? I know I can skip a pass through Chic-Fil-A to do that. 
• Gift $25 - - This will help RMHC's Emergency Relief fund
  • Covid19 has hit the house hard. Did you know that every night at Ronald McDonald House a group of volunteers comes in and cooks a hot meal? EVERY. NIGHT. It's amazing and at no cost to the guests, but with Covid around, those volunteers are no longer able to come, therefore the house has had to purchase alternative options. Your gift of $25 would be a massive help to the cause.
• Gift $50 - - The food pantry needs your help
  • Snacks. You love them. I love them. So do the house guests. And the kids. Did you know that every family at RMHC has a child, newborn to age 21, undergoing active treatment? That means these families are in the thick of it. The last thing they need to worry about is where to catch a snack. The house hosts an awesome food pantry and it needs to be restocked.
• Gift $75 - - We are in a pandemic and the house needs cleaning supplies!!
  • Did you know the house runs like a hotel? There are 24 guest rooms, each with a private bath. It's open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. That's a lot of Clorox, y'all! Even before a pandemic. Help equip their staff and keep their crew and families safe.
• Gift $89 - - Cover a night at the house for RMHC
  • Remember how I said the families are only asked to pay $10 a night to stay at the house? Well, it costs RMHC $89 to a cover a night for them. They rely on generous people like you to help raise the difference and relieve the stress and financial burden to the house guest. 
• Gift $100 - - Sponsor dinner for 1 night at the house
  • The Covid19 Relief Fund needs dinners covered. Picture this. You're at the hospital all day with your sick child, only to go back the next day for follow-ups. You're exhausted. Broken down. You walk into Ronald McDonald House. You see a friendly face, hear a welcoming voice, and then smell a delicious warm meal and instantly feel relief. BE THE REASON someone feels relieved. Purchase the dinner!!
• Gift $267 - - Fund a weekend for a family
  • Did you know that there is no time limit on how long a family can stay at the house? While the house is equipped with internet, laundry facilities,  and a beautiful living room & playground, families can be at the house for months. I've seen it. Bump up your donation and fund a 3-night stay with a gift of $267.

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I DONATE AND WEAR MY STRIPES BECAUSE I have seen first hand how impactful a stay at Ronald McDonald House can be to a family. Life is already tough and expensive. Now add on medical bills, being pulled away from your home, juggling a job, and possibly the daily needs of your other children, all because your main focus is your child's health.

These families could be staying for a variety of reasons, and most commonly are cancer treatment, infant care (NICU), orthopedic care such as prosthetics or club feet, gastroenterology or liver disorders, or a traumatic incident like a car accident.

I've been fortunate to work with Ronald McDonald House in Greenville on a few different events, and most recently while finishing a mural outside their community room on the second floor of Building A. While painting in the house over 3 days, I got to meet some pretty amazing families. ALL battling significant healthcare issues and all with stays lasting as little as 2 weeks, up to 3 months + counting. 

The POSITIVITY radiating from these families was incredible. Each traveling through a unique, difficult experience, but all providing such praise to the convenience and ease of RMHC. In each conversation, a family member alluded to the impact that RMHC has had on their recovery process. I've toured the house. It's incredible. I've seen the food pantry and how important it is to provide to their guests. I've met the staff and seen the volunteers and their passion to help is contagious.

Families need to be together when their child needs medical care and Ronald McDonald House of the Carolinas is helping to provide all the necessities  - comfort, support, and resources, all within steps of the hospital.

Put yourself in the shoes of a family. Help bring some relief to the worried parent and help support an organization who continues to go above and beyond #keepingfamiliesclose