Walk for Kids, an annual family-friendly 5K fundraising event supporting the families with critically ill children served by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California, returns to in-person this year on Saturday, April 29. The event will be held at the 100-year-old Rose Bowl.
The campaign aims to raise much-needed funds for local programs supporting the families of the Pasadena, Los Angeles and Westside Los Angeles Ronald McDonald Houses who must travel outside their communities to access long-term medical treatment at local hospitals. The event also supports the largest child oncology camp in the nation, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times. Walk for Kids “creates a community where children and their families embrace life and healing with a sense of hope, enthusiasm, courage and joy,” according to a spokesperson.
“We are thrilled to host our Walk for Kids in person again this year. As Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California’s largest fundraiser of the year, the support we receive from the community enables us to keep families close when they need us most — when their child is impacted by a medical crisis,” said Fatima Djelmane-Rodriguez, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California. “Our highest priority is the health and safety of our walkers and communities, and we invite supporters to participate in the way they feel most comfortable.”
Walk for Kids’ premier sponsors are Reliance Steel & Aluminium Co., Union Bank, Bank of America, RSM, Living Spaces, KPMG, Capital Group, Enterprise Bank and UCLA Mattel.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California programs “run on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on healing their child. The houses give families a place to stay, a source of comfort, care and support so they may focus their energy on what matters most: their child.
One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit all six Ronald McDonald Houses (with a seventh in development in West Los Angeles), three Ronald McDonald Family rooms and Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times ― a cost-free, medically supervised program that offers children with cancer and their siblings a traditional summer camp experience. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California helps children with serious medical conditions and their siblings rediscover childhood and develop the self-esteem and self-efficacy often lost as a result of long-term medical treatment.
For the April 29 fundraiser, supporters can donate or sign up to start, or join, a Walk team by visiting walkforkids.org.
Ronald McDonald House to ‘Walk for Kids’ on April 29
