Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Maine Provides $34,930 Grant to The Acadia Hospital
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Maine Provides $34,930 Grant to The Acadia Hospital |
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Bangor, Maine (December 2, 2009) - The Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC) of Maine recently awarded a $34,930 grant to The Acadia Hospital in Bangor. The funds will be used to purchase an outdoor high and low ropes course, part of The Acadia Hospital's therapeutic Adventure Program that will provide ongoing, therapeutic adventure-based programming for consumers of mental health services between ages 5 and 18. The Acadia Hospital Adventure Progra  m will be centered on an indoor climbing wall and outdoor high and low ropes course, allowing Acadia to teach life skills in an environment that is fun, challenging, and adventurous. This technique has been shown to have a profound effect on positive behavioral learning and physical conditioning. "We are honored to be trusted to be a good steward of this gift. It will advance Acadia being the health care choice for optimal treatment due to patients' experience and improved health status," stated David S. Proffitt, Ph.D., President and CEO of The Acadia Hospital. "This offering allows Acadia to develop a valued therapeutic tool. Children, families, and adults in need will develop new skills, abilities, and perspectives through our Adventure Based Therapy Program which this donation will create." On December 2, RMHC of Maine Board President and local McDonald's® Owner/Operator Gary Eckmann of Bangor presented a check to Dr. Proffitt on the site of the proposed project. "The RMHC of Maine board is extremely proud to provide funding to The Acadia Hospital Adventure Program that will positively impact hundreds of Maine youth every year for many years to come," said Eckmann. "Since 1989, RMHC of Maine has granted more than $1.5 million to local organizations across the state that help children and families lead happier, healthier and more productive lives." The ropes course and climbing wall are located on the hospital campus at 268 Stillwater Avenue in Bangor. The climbing wall has been installed and is in use, while the outdoor ropes course will be functional in the spring of 2010. Children and adolescents served at Acadia currently use the climbing wall regularly in small groups. About The Acadia Hospital Children and adolescents come to The Acadia Hospital with developmental and psychiatric diagnoses such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and mood disorders such as depression and anxiety among others. They are children who typically demonstrate behaviors such as truancy, substance abuse, a struggle with authority, impulsivity, distrust and anger. They are referred to The Acadia Hospital where our psychiatric youth experts work as a team with the client and his or her family to treat the underlying causes of their behavior and provide valuable tools that allow for an improved quality of life. The Acadia Hospital is a private, non-profit psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment provider. As a member of EMHS, Acadia works with its affiliated organizations to ensure the highest quality care is available to those in need. Go to www.acadiahospital.org for more hospital information. Apply for a Grant or Make a Donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine Information about RMHC of Maine can be found on the web at www.rmhcmaine.org. There, non-profit organizations will find information about the grant application process including qualifications to apply. Contact information for making donations to RMHC of Maine is also posted on the Website. More information is also available by phoning: (207) 990-2763. About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine RMHC of Maine was founded in 1989 by a group of owner/operators of McDonald's® restaurants in Maine and eastern New Hampshire as a means of giving back to their communities by supporting the children of Maine. Since then, RMHC of Maine has grown from a small not-for-profit organization to a powerful force of change in our communities and in our children's lives. Over the past 20 years, RMHC of Maine has granted more than $1.5 million to local children's programs that have made a measurable impact in our communities. For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities, visit www.rmhcmaine.org. About McDonald's of Maine and Eastern New Hampshire The Maine McDonald's Owner/Operator Association is a collaboration of 14 local McDonald's franchisees with 62 convenient restaurant locations throughout Maine and eastern New Hampshire, many with drive-thru service, extended hours, and Wi-Fi. The Maine McDonald's Owner Operator Association provides support to the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Maine and the two Ronald McDonald Houses® in Bangor and Portland. For more information about McDonald's in Maine, visit www.mcmaine.com. About McDonald's McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local franchisees. For more information on McDonald's visit www.mcdonalds.com or log on at any of the 10,000 Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. |
