Sandra, have established an enviable legacy of philanthropic support
benefiting the people of the Carolinas. That legacy continues with
their support of the future Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of Charlotte.
The Leon Levine Foundation will generously donate $500,000 to the RMH
of Charlotte to help with its capital campaign. The announcement was
made by Mona Johnson-Gibson, Executive Director of RMH of Charlotte.
The Foundation will fund the House for the next 5 years with
installments of $100,000 every June.
"We are grateful with the support and generosity the Foundation has
bestowed upon the RMH of Charlotte," Johnson-Gibson said. "The
Levines are an excellent example of outstanding citizenship and
personal integrity, and they have demonstrated an extraordinary
interest in service to the people of the Carolinas."
In return, the RMH of Charlotte will name the House's living room the
Levine Living Room.
"We are very excited to partner with such a strong organization with a
successful commitment to a mission so close to the vision of our
founder," said Tom Lawrence, the Foundation's Vice President. "The
Board of Directors decision to support the RMH was unanimous because
the House will provide a comfortable and supportive home away from
home for families with sick children who are being treated at Levine
Children's Hospital."
Levine Children's Hospital is named in honor of the Levines, who
funded a $10 million gift to jumpstart the Hospital's fund-raising
drive prior to it opening last year. Their foundation also committed
a $5 million challenge grant to start a permanent endowment for Levine
Children's Hospital.
The RMH of Charlotte is scheduled to open sometime in 2010 and will
primarily serve children being treated at Levine Children's Hospital
and Presbyterian Healthcare's Hemby Children's Hospital. Located on
the 1600 block of East Morehead Street on land donated by Carolinas
Medical Center, the House will feature approximately 35,000 square
feet of living space complete with 20 to 30 bedrooms (one family per
bedroom/suite), providing more than 10,000 nights of stay each year
for needy families. It is also scheduled to have a family kitchen,
great room, learning center, playground and sitting porch.
Construction will hopefully begin in 2009.
Leon Levine is the founder and chairman emeritus of Family Dollar
Stores Inc., a Matthews-based discount retail chain with more than
5,000 stores in 43 states. At the age of 22, Levine opened his first
store in 1959 on Central Avenue in Charlotte. He built Family Dollar
into a Fortune 500 company before retiring in 2003.
About the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of Charlotte
The RMH of Charlotte is an independent 501 (c) (3) charity managed by
a local board of directors which will oversee construction and
operation of the home. The cost of building and operating the RMH of
Charlotte will come primarily from individual and corporate
donations. The RMH of Charlotte will be funded, constructed and
operated by the Charlotte community. The mission of the RMH of
Charlotte is to provide the families of children being treated in area
medical facilities with a safe, affordable and caring "home away from
home." For more information on RMH of Charlotte, visit www.rmhofcharlotte.org
.
