Food in the news: Buy a Happy Meal, McDonald’s will give one to a hungry child

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, May 6, 2015

McDonald’s restaurants in 22 counties surrounding Charlotte — including Rowan and Cabarrus —  are pledging to give a Happy Meal to a hungry child for every one purchased each Monday in May.

Through the “Buy One, Give One Happy Meal” program, McDonald’s expects to donate more than 33,000 Happy Meals to food banks throughout the 22-county area, according to a news release.

“In our area alone, close to 18 percent of children are food-insecure — this is alarming, and we are doing something about it,” said Jeff Stanton, a Charlotte-area McDonald’s owner and operator and father of two. “We have selected community organizations who are committed to putting food directly into the mouths of those who need it most. Through Buy One, Give One Happy Meals, we at McDonald’s can do our part to provide these children in need with a meal, and also empower our customers to be part of the giving and understand the problem they are helping address.”

The Buy One, Give One Happy Meal program takes place Mondays in May at all participating area McDonald’s restaurants running through May 25.

  In January, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 16 million — or one in five children — were on food stamps in 2014, the highest number since the nation’s economy tumbled in 2008.

“We are excited about this partnership with McDonald’s because it allows kids to help other kids, especially as we end the school year,” said Mike Oberle, the child hunger program coordinator at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. “During the summer months, many children miss the support systems for meals at school and through backpack programs. McDonald’s and their customers are helping us deliver a little more happy to these kids.”

Lunch and Learn at Cooperative Extension

The Rowan County Cooperative Extension will again offer its monthly lunch and lesson sessions beginning Wednesday, May 20, at noon.

The first session will be “Egg-cellent.” May is dedicated to the many virtues of nature’s own miracle food, the egg. Eggs provide high-quality protein, containing all the essential amino acids our bodies need in a near-perfect pattern. Attend the session to learn more about eggs and the endless recipes for great tasting egg dishes.

Each of the sessions that follow will be held monthly during the noon hour on Wednesdays. The sessions are free and open to the public, but registration is required. There is a 20-person limit for each session. Participants will receive a sampling of food at each session, along with recipes and other educational materials. 

The classes will be held at the Rowan County Agriculture Center, 2727 Old Concord Road. To register for any or all of the sessions, call 704-216- 8970. Sessions will be taught by Toi Degree, family and consumer education agent.

Funding for the series is made possible through The Blanche & Julian Robertson Family Foundation.

Get licensed to grill at RPL

Grill and chill at the final workshop in the Rowan Public Library’s Learn. Act. Grow. series, where you will learn to reinvent boring cookout foods using savory grilling techniques.

Admission to the fifth and final workshop in the series, “Licensed to Grill,” is by ticket only. Tickets were obtained by participating in one or more of the previous Learn. Act. Grow. 2015 workshops. Registration for this event is open, and seating is limited. This cookout will feature tips on how to grill healthy alternatives to traditional cookout fair.  A full meal will be provided by Morrison Healthcare and local grillmaster Chuck Misenheimer.

The cookout will be 5:45 p.m.-7 p.m. Monday, May 18, at the South Rowan Regional Library in China Grove.

While there is no charge to participate, registration is required. Visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org or call 704-216-7841 to register, or for more information.

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