In this week’s edition of the Goodness Report, we’re shining the spotlight on McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.’s Heart Hat Volunteers program. Idea Hall supports the McCarthy SoPac region with comprehensive public relations services.
Philanthropy at its Core
Championing goodness nationwide, McCarthy Heart Hats® is a national community engagement program committed to making communities stronger. Since its inception in 2005, Heart Hats has donated more than $20 million and thousands of hours of volunteer time to organizations in need, including Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Clubs all over Southern California, American Heart Association, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, March of Dimes, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County & Inland Empire.
Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times
The McCarthy Heart Hat volunteers poured their hearts into their work at the Mountain Center location of Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a cost-free, medically supervised, residential camp experience available to any child who has or has had cancer, on or off treatment, from infancy through high school graduation. Since 1982, the camp has served more than 45,000 campers, making a big difference for children who would otherwise likely not be able to attend a traditional camp.
Nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains, the campsite provides opportunities for campers and their families to enjoy the beauty of a tranquil and majestic wooded hideaway only minutes away from comprehensive medical facilities and services. Due to the wooded location, the camp is in need of concrete pathways to the cabins to ensure that they are easily accessible to everyone, including individuals in wheelchairs or who have other challenges with mobility.
“This is a deeply personal project for me,” said Justino “Tino” Franco, Project Assistant Manager at McCarthy, who has been volunteering for Camp Good Times as a counselor and fundraiser since 2016.
“When my little brother was diagnosed with leukemia 16 years ago, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times brought me and my family in as campers and made sure we had all the support we needed throughout my brother’s treatment. Their unwavering commitment and dedication to all the families whose children are battling cancer got us through some of the toughest days of our lives. It means so much to be able to give back.”
Service in Motion
McCarthy sent volunteers from the McCarthy Heart Hats program to pour approximately 4,200 square feet of concrete over a 4-day period, donating more than 256 hours of time, labor, and subject matter expertise, to create 5 accessible pathways and ramps to easily navigate the camp, improving the experience of the more than 1,500 of campers who are served by the Mountain Center location each year.
“McCarthy has paved the way for countless campers whose lives have been altered by cancer. The foundation of camp has been strengthened, and for that we are all delighted and genuinely grateful,” said lifelong camp volunteer Mark Maxwell-Smith. “With accessible pathways, everyone can have unlabored entry to their cabins and to enjoy the full camp experience which includes enhanced self-esteem, heightened independence, and a summer full of joy, laughter, friendship, and achievement.”
McCarthy’s support marks a significant milestone in the ongoing journey of the camp. The new accessible walkways and ramps will provide all campers with a safer, more inclusive environment, allowing them to participate fully in everything the camp has to offer.
“Being able to give back to the communities where we live and work is one of our greatest joys at McCarthy,” said Jim Madrid, Executive Vice President at McCarthy. “In the case of Camp Good Times, it means even more knowing the organization has played such a pivotal role in the life of one of our partners and his family.”
Over the years, McCarthy has gone the extra mile to encourage its employees to build stronger and more vibrant communities. Serving and giving back to those around them is key to the values and ideals of McCarthy and its Heart Hat Volunteers. Idea Hall is proud to support McCarthy and its many service-oriented programs.
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