LONDON, ONT. -- Four local McDonald’s restaurant owners joined forces to raise money in support of youth mental health and the wellness of our heroes of health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In lieu of McHappy Day, the 14 London McDonald’s locations sold ‘Support our Heroes of Health’ bumper stickers for a $5 donation, which got the buyer a free coffee or tea and a bumper sticker to show their support. 

The promotion ran for the month of May and raised $32,000, which was donated to London Health Sciences Foundation (LHSF). 

The proceeds will support both the health care workers at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) through the LHSF COVID-19 Response Fund and LHSC’s First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP), which is an early intervention and treatment program for youth between the ages of 16 and 25 with early-onset mood and anxiety disorders. 

The drive to support FEMAP is one that hits close to home for the local franchisee owners. Roughly 75 per cent of the McDonald’s staff in London fall within the age range that FEMAP serves. 

Jason Lessif, a local McDonald’s franchisee, says there are countless examples of staff members going through difficult times and with the added stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, the concerns for staff mental health and well-being are rising. 

“These are strange and difficult times that we are currently trying to navigate. As franchisee owners, we wanted to show our staff that we are dedicated to supporting mental health and well-being during this difficult time and to support the front-line workers at the hospital,” he says. 

As of right now, Lessif says McHappy Day has been postponed until the fall, with a date still to be confirmed. At that time, the proceeds from McHappy Day will be split between FEMAP and Southwestern Ontario Ronald McDonald House. 

“While we have received tremendous support for our COVID-19 Response Fund, the community has also stepped up for other important programs such as FEMAP,” says John MacFarlane, LHSF’s president and CEO.

“Through our amazing partnership with McDonald’s over the past year, FEMAP has been able to start expanding their services to help more youth, more quickly. Each donation is making a huge difference in the lives of the youth in our region. We are truly grateful”. 

For more information on London Health Sciences Foundation, please visit lhsf.ca. For more information on FEMAP click here.