010904 McDonald's Responds to National Tragedy

Oak Brook, IL - Statement by Jack M. Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of McDonald's Corporation:

“We are all devastated by yesterday's horrific acts of terrorism. I know I speak for everyone at McDonald's when I say our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of all the victims of this national tragedy.

A catastrophe of this magnitude is hard to comprehend, but we're all in this together as Americans. That's why McDonald's is doing what we always do ... we are helping our neighbors.

McDonald's Corporation is contributing $1 million to the humanitarian and relief effort and Ronald McDonald House Charities is matching it with its own $1 million donation.

Starting this Friday, and continuing for a month, all customer donations received through our Ronald McDonald House Charities restaurant canister program will be donated to the American Red Cross to assist in this national emergency.

In New York City, from our restaurants near the World Trade Center site, we are serving food to search and rescue teams. We are also bringing in two mobile McDonald's, along with eight supply trucks to keep restaurants serving the tireless work force there.

McDonald's restaurants in our Baltimore/Washington D.C. region are providing meals to the teams working at the Pentagon. And in Somerset County, PA, we are also supplying food to the emergency crews there.

Across the country, we are feeding volunteers at countless blood centers that have been overwhelmed by the many thousands of Americans who are offering to donate blood.

We are reaching out to local, state and federal agencies -- as well as the American Red Cross and other relief groups -- to offer help in any way we can.

We're pulling together as a nation, McDonald's people -- our employees, owner/operators and suppliers -- are standing shoulder to shoulder as never before.”

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