Juan David Latorre
United States Ambassador Julissa Reynoso yesterday visited the Fundación Ronald McDonald Children at the Ronald McDonald House in Madrid, located within the Hospital Universitario Infantil Niño Jesús.
The aim of the visit was to deliver more than 300 toys to children at the Home and the hospital itself, as part of the Toys for Tots initiative launched by Toys for Tots to mark the Three Kings holiday. The Toys for Tots Foundation was established in 1991, at the behest of the Marine Corps, to help implement and support the Marine Corps Toys for Tots programme. The Foundation raises funds, purchases toys, provides promotional and support materials, administers all funds raised and donated, solicits corporate support, educates the public, and manages day-to-day operations. Currently, the Toys for Tots programme distributes an average of 18 million toys annually to 7 million children.
The American ambassador, together with the United States Marines stationed at the Embassy, delivered a large number of gifts that brought happiness and enthusiasm on such an important date as yesterday, January 5th.
During the visit, the Ambassador noted that “it is an honour for me and the US Marine Corps to offer our toy donation to you… This country holds a special place in our hearts, and we feel that we are more than guests in Spain: we are friends and we want to contribute to this community that welcomes us so warmly.
During the event, Julissa Reynoso was able to personally get to know the Foundation’s programmes, visit its facilities and talk to the families who are currently housed at the Casa. She also thanked “for the opportunity to come and share this donation on such an important day”.
“It is always a pleasure to be able to contribute,” said the ambassador, “and to give a gesture of support, particularly to the children who need a bit of joy these days. These toys and gifts are our way of showing our support and bringing a bit of joy and play to the youngsters during these days”.
The ambassador also congratulated the Ronald McDonald Children’s Foundation on the inauguration a few days ago of its House in Seville. The event was attended by the director of the Foundation, José Antonio García, who greeted the ambassador on her arrival and thanked her for her visit to the House and for the generous act of giving the gifts to the children.
Ronald McDonald House Madrid, which opened in January 2015 and is the largest of the Foundation’s five Houses in Spain, offers free accommodation to around 30 families each night. Located within the grounds of the Niño Jesús University Children’s Hospital, on loan from the Community of Madrid, it has 3,000 square metres of space where it caters for families from all over the country who need hospital treatment in the capital.
The Ronald McDonald Children’s Foundation is part of the international organisation Ronald McDonald House Charities, based in Chicago. It is a global network that facilitates family-centred paediatric patient care and strives to be part of improving the health of children and their families at such a difficult time. Ronald McDonald House Charities currently operates in 62 countries with 386 Ronald McDonald Houses.
The attendees were able to celebrate the day with some excellent roscones with or without cream filling, and chocolate donated by the Ascaso bakery (Calle de Zurbano, 25, Bajo).
