Ranging from AIDS in Swaziland to hunger in the United States, Ronald McDonald House Charities has awarded $2.9 million in grants to 15 charities striving to make a difference in the lives of children worldwide as part of its Global Grants program.
A majority of the efforts of focus on growing health concerns in Africa, Asia, and Latin America with the overlying mission to "change lives of children around the world."
"Today’s children face a range of health problems, from malnutrition to malaria to HIV/AIDS. While the prevalence of problems varies by region, one thing remains clear: the need to help the world’s children is an ever-present endeavor," said Alan A. Harris, RMHC Board of Trustees member.
In Swaziland, a landlocked nation in Southern Africa, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation raises money to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS to the children of pregnant, HIV-positive mothers. It partners with Johnson & Johnson and Germany-based pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim in several African nations to spread awareness and treat the disease.
Two organizations receiving grants focus solely on improving dental health. The World Health Organization reports that as many as 90 percent of school-age children worldwide suffer from cavities. Severe cavities often lead to more severe infections. For example, cavernous sinus thrombosis, blood clots at the base of the nasal cavity, often originate from untreated and can cause blindness and other eye disorders.
Ecudaent, an organization focusing on improved dental health in Ecuador, received a grant from RMHC as did the East Meets West Foundation.
The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974 as a place for families to stay while children received long-term medical care away from home.
