Ray White New Zealand are proud to announce they have stepped up their support of Ronald McDonald House (RMH) through the launch of a national Ray White Salesperson Support Initiative.
Ronald McDonald Houses provide a home away from home for families from all over New Zealand whose children require specialist medical treatment in another city. Since 2007 Ray White New Zealand Offices have been involved by partnering with RMH to help keep families together. This partnership “is not just a one-off cheque, it’s something that we value, nurture and grow” says Carey Smith, CEO of Ray White New Zealand, “and it’s for this reason we’ve extended our support from a corporate and office level through to an individual partnership level for our group members.”
In 2013 RMH took care of more families than ever before with 3,651 Kiwi families calling their Houses home throughout their children’s medical journey. It costs $120 to accommodate a family for one night at RMH, and RMH never turn a family away. “As a charity we would struggle to keep our doors open if it wasn’t for the kindness and generosity of the Ray White community. Since 2007 Ray White New Zealand has supported RMH, raising more than $500,000 in funds for the organisation and helping us keep families together.” says Dominique Cornille, Business Relationship Manager, RMH Auckland. The new Salesperson Initiative means that, from as little as $20 a month individual members of the Ray White Group can partner with the House.
“This is very exciting!” says Nicky Hattam, our first salesperson partner from Ray White Birkenhead. “I signed up to the new Salesperson initiative to support RMH because I believe that they provide the most amazing service. My brother and his family recently used their facilities and they were most grateful. My young nephew had head surgery and we were all very concerned for him. My brother also has two little girls (under 5 years) so every bit of support and help was greatly appreciated… I also have a strong desire to help children. I enjoy my own kids tremendously and feel that any parent in need of a helping hand is well deserved… Every little bit helps… With no other community sponsorship currently in place for my business I feel that this is a great place to start. The North Shore is a particularly family orientated area and children are a huge part of our lives. I feel that this is a very well deserved charity and I am happy to contribute!”
Having a critically ill child in hospital is hard enough on its own, but being far from home makes it that much harder. RMH operate on the simple premise that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the well-being of their child – not how they can afford to stay near their child, where the next meal will come from, and where to lay their head to rest at night. The families tell us that being able to be close to the hospital, and having the practicalities of life taken care of at RMH is priceless.
“Just as Ronald McDonald House is a vital part of the New Zealand community, the support of the Ray White community is vital to the work of RMH.” says Wayne Howett, CEO of RMH, Auckland. “I would like to thank the Ray White offices and salespeople who have already signed up to support our Houses. Their supporters mean so much to us, the work we do, and the families staying with us – we couldn’t do it without them! With Ray White’s support, we can be there for all Kiwi families, through the good times and the bad. Whether signing up to support our House in an individual capacity, or as a whole office, Ray White are making a huge difference to New Zealand’s families.”