Bashas’ Raises $132,000 for Families Seeking Stays at Arizona Ronald McDonald Houses

This August, Bashas’ Family of Stores hosted a fundraiser benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities at all Bashas’ and Food City stores in Arizona. For the entire month, customers donated to “the House that Love Built,” raising more than $160,000 for families needing a home-away-from-home during the care of their critically ill or injured children.

More specifically, $132,000 of those contributions will benefit the Phoenix-based chapter, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona (RMHCCNAZ), serving families that must travel to the Valley for world-class medical care for their child. In 2019, RMHCCNAZ provided more than 22,000 nights of rest and served 1,454 families, 89 percent of which were from Arizona.

“The support we’ve received from the Bashas’ Family of Stores and its community has been overwhelming,” said Kerry Schulman, CEO of RMHCCNAZ. “This donation will play an integral role in providing the comforts of home to so many, through the pandemic and beyond.”

The gratitude doesn’t stop there. “Families who are managing life-threatening treatment for their child need all the support they can get,” said Edward “Trey” Basha, president & CEO of Bashas’ Family of Stores. “Thanks to the good work of Ronald McDonald House Charities and the incredibly generous support of our customers, families in Arizona can keep their focus on their child’s treatment and recovery, instead of additional financial challenges.”

The fundraising effort also benefited Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona, located in Tucson. Funds will be used to ensure families have a place of rest while their critically ill or injured child receives pediatric care. While there is no cost to them, it costs roughly $100 per night to host one family. In total, the donation will provide more than 1,600 nights of rest for families in Arizona.