Amazon delivers gifts to kids at Ronald McDonald House Charities

(WPLG)

MIAMI – We see its signature shipping boxes piling up on front porches across the country. Amazon is a vast internet-based enterprise that sells almost every imaginable item under the sun. This holiday season, for dozens of kids and their families staying at Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida (RMHC), those boxes came filled with holiday gifts. 

The items were donated and delivered last week as part of Amazon Operations and the RMHC Gift Drive.

Recommended Videos



“This new initiative is extra special because it’s an opportunity to bring holiday cheer and fulfill the needs of families who have gone through so much with their sick children, especially during a pandemic,” said Ricardo Fonseca, senior management in operation benchmarking in Amazon Fulfilment.

RMHC provides shelter, hot meals and support to families while their children receive life-saving medical treatment at nearby pediatric hospitals.

Each guest staying at the RMHC of South Florida location was asked to fill out an Amazon wish list with whatever item they desired, up to $50 each.

“What’s impressive about this project, in particular, is that if a guest asked for a certain item that is not available at our local warehouse, we still donated the funds to pay for the item, so every member of each family got exactly what they wished for,” added Fonseca.

A total of 31 family members received their wish list items, including gift cards, video games, personal care products and toys.  

In addition, each person received an Amazon swag bag filled with a T-shirt, candy and a handwritten note. The Amazon Fulfilment center in Miami wrapped and delivered the gifts.

“Our families were delighted to receive these wonderful gifts from Amazon,” said Soraya Rivera-Moya, executive director of RMHC of South Florida.  “It was a special experience to watch the children, their siblings and their parents receive exactly what they wished for and what they needed.”

Amazon is not new to philanthropic initiatives benefiting RMHC of South Florida. The company has donated to the charity’s adopt-a-meal program, which helps provide hot meals to families after a long day at the hospital or clinic.


About the Author:

Mayte Padron Cordones is an Emmy-award winning journalist and the director of WPLG's Community Relations Department, overseeing the station's outreach initiatives to benefit and strengthen the South Florida community.