Over 15 thousand dollars were raised over the course of two weeks by several United
Independent School District elementary schools to benefit the Ronald McDonald House
Charities of San Antonio. Over the last 12 years, this organization has partnered with United
ISD to help families with temporary housing, while their child is being medically treated in area
hospitals. It all started with one teacher’s mission to help the organization that once helped her
loved ones and has helped countless Laredoan families. UISD teacher Elsa Trejo began the
initiative by collecting aluminum tabs at her campus and exchanging them for cash at the local
recycle center. All proceeds were donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of San
Antonio. Later on, she partnered with President of McDonald’s of Laredo, Mike Marasco to
collect donations at several elementary schools. Over the years, the fundraiser grew to
become a district wide initiative where many students and families participated.
“It is very important to me because my family used the Ronald McDonald House Charities
when my nephew was diagnosed with cancer. I stayed there one night and I saw how they
helped us, so I wanted to do something in return and get the community involved,” said Elsa
Trejo.
Just over the last four years, UISD has collectively raised over 60,000 dollars for the non-profit
organization. Last year $15,765.64 were collected between November 7th through the 18th by
fourteen elementary schools, and today the check was presented to the Director of the Ronald
McDonald House Charities of San Antonio, Travis Pearson. The participating schools were the
following: Freedom Elementary, Clark Elementary, Colonel Santos Elementary, Amparo
Gutierrez Elementary, Trautmann Elementary, Veterans Memorial Elementary, Ardnt
Elementary, Cuellar Elementary, Matias de Llano Elementary, Borchers Elementary, Prada
Elementary, Roberto Santos Elementary, Centeno Elementary and Malakoff Elementary.
As an incentive McDonald’s of Laredo will be hosting a Happy Meal party at each campus for
the class that collected the most donations.
The Ronald Mcdonald House Charities of San Antonio services the San Antonio and
surrounding areas by providing temporary housing at no cost. This service is offered to families
who have to stay for prolonged periods due to a child’s medical treatment. They have 16 rooms
located inside the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, and several houses located in the South
Texas Medical Center area. According to the Director of the RMHC, Travis Pearson, in the last
2 years approximately 70 families from Laredo were helped, saving them a total of at least half a million dollars in lodging expenses.
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