The Andalusia McDonald’s is one of 10 sites across the state chosen for in-store celebrations of the 44^th anniversary of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).

Oct. 15 is celebrated annual as the Day of Change.

The special day marks the opening of the very first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia in 1974.

The president of Ronald McDonald House Charities is expected in Andalusia on Monday for the event, which will be celebrated locally from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The family of Andalusia’s Paisley Mack, who frequently visit the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham, will also be on hand encouraging people to drop their change in fundraising buckets for RMHCA.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama (RMHCA) invites individuals, businesses, and community groups to support families with critically-ill children by visiting their local McDonald’s on October 15 to drop spare change into a RMHC Donation Box.

“Guests at Alabama McDonald’s restaurants gave $242,173 through the donation box program last year,” said RMHCA CEO Katherine Estes Billmeier. “Every little bit adds up to our mission of providing a comfortable, caring place for 73 families a night when they’re far from home for their child’s medical care.”

Online donations can be made at RMHCA.org/donate, or mailed to the Ronald McDonald House at 1700 4th Avenue South, Birmingham Alabama 35233.

To date in 2018, RMHCA has helped 1,124 families at the expanded Ronald McDonald House, surpassing 2017’s total. The charity nearly doubled its capacity to 73 guest rooms earlier this year. And the new Ronald McDonald Family Room at UAB Women & Infants Center has had approximately 3,797 family visits since opening in January 2018.