FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact:
Cristine Gasiorowski, RMHC
630.623.5605 or
cristine.gasiorowski@us.mcd.com
Sara Drake, NATB
630.510.4594 or
sara@natb.org
NATB Announces Partnership
with Ronald McDonald House Charities®
Members to Support
Families in Need with Ticket Donations and Volunteering
OAK BROOK, Ill. (August 7, 2009)
- Today, Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®)
announced a multi-year partnership with the National Association of
Ticket Brokers (NATB) that includes ticket donations to select Ronald
McDonald Houses Charities in the United States and volunteerism by members
of the NATB family. As of August 1, 2009, NATB members across
the country have donated of 2,000 tickets to their local RMHC Chapters.
"We are proud to be associated with
the NATB, which has approximately 175 member ticket brokers in the United
States," said Marty Coyne, president and CEO of RMHC. "RMHC
and our local Chapters rely on the generous donations of our corporate
partners and NATB is providing valuable contributions in terms of volunteers
and entertainment for our families. Our families are going through
difficult medical situations with their child, and NATB is giving them
a chance to relax and take their mind of their worries - if only for
a few moments. This partnership is a natural extension of our
mission to support families - both financially and emotionally - during
a very difficult time in their lives."
In August 2009, NATB will commence their
partnership by launching their "32 for 32" program. This three
year initiative will donate 32 tickets for every NFL preseason game
in each of the 32 NFL markets. Additionally, NATB members will
donate 32 hours of volunteerism in each of those 32 NFL markets.
And this is just the beginning, as other initiatives will be announced
in the coming months. NATB also hopes to establish a unique ticket
donation and volunteer program that encourages its members to get involved
with local Ronald McDonald Houses and RMHC events in their community.
"The NATB is proud to partner with
such an incredible organization. Several of our members have worked
with Houses on a local level by donating tickets and volunteering to
cook a meal. Now, we get to take it National and give back in
a big way," said Tom Patania, NATB President. "When
we first brought this opportunity to our board, the vote was unanimous.
Our membership is completely dedicated to helping these kids and their
families in any way we can."
About the Ronald McDonald House
Program:
The Ronald McDonald House program provides families with a "home
away from home" while their children receive treatment in a nearby
hospital or medical facility. Here, family members can sleep,
eat, relax and find support from other families in similar situations.
The House program allows families to stay together, which helps aid
in the healing process. There are more than 287 Ronald McDonald
Houses open in 30 countries and regions worldwide.
About RMHC
Ronald McDonald House Charities, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation,
creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health
and well being of children. Its programs are grassroots-driven to enable
the Charity to offer help where children need it most - right in their
own communities. RMHC makes an immediate, positive impact on children's
lives through its global network of local Chapters in more than 52 countries
and regions and its three core programs: Ronald McDonald House®,
Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®.
RMHC and its global network of local Chapters have awarded hundreds
of millions of dollars in grants and program services to children's
programs around the world. For more information, visit www.rmhc.org.
About National Association of Ticket Brokers
The NATB was formed in 1994 by a group
of concerned ticket brokers who desired to establish an industry-wide
standard of conduct and to create ethical rules and procedures to protect
the public and foster a positive perception of the industry. While
the goals of the NATB are many, our primary goal is to represent the
interests of legitimate ticket brokers by promoting consumer protection
and educating the public about our industry. This is done by assuring
the public that when dealing with an NATB member, they are working with
an honest, reliable broker that will deliver what is promised. In addition,
the NATB has created a platform that allows the public to report unethical
conduct by ticket brokers.
About NATB Gives Back
NATB Gives Back was formed by the NATB
Board of Directors with the mission of making a positive impact in the
communities which support its member businesses. NATB Gives Back
endeavors to do this by providing leadership, programs, and education
to the NATB members and by forging partnerships with charitable and
community organizations.
Additional information is available at http://www.natb.org/
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