/EINPresswire.com/ -- HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwired - December 20, 2016) - On Saturday, December 17, the McDonald's Owner/Operators Association of Greater Houston (MOAGH) treated 100 children at Neighborhood Centers, Inc.'s Cleveland-Ripley community center to brand new bicycles, breakfast, games and activities, as well as pictures with Santa Claus, Ronald McDonald, Hamburglar and Grimace. The holiday-themed charitable event was spearheaded by McDonald's Hispanic Operators Association of Greater Houston (MHOA), which comprises 13 local business people who collectively own and operate 71 of the 300+ McDonald's restaurants in Greater Houston.

The weekend festivities were the latest in a series of philanthropic investments made by MOAGH in 2016, capping off more than $2 million in charitable giving to hundreds of organizations throughout the region. Charitable investments made by this co-operative of local business people this year included several significant educational, human services, civic and cultural gifts such as:

• $1 million pledge to Ronald McDonald House of Houston Behind Every Door campaign
• 67 College Scholarships awarded through Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Houston/Galveston
• Title sponsorship of the McDonald's Houston Children's Festival, providing cash, in-kind products and more than 100 volunteers
• Underwriting support for the Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center
• Support for schools in more than 15 area school districts
• Investment in Houston's Tier One University of Houston Leadership Academy
• Lead support for the Pasadena ISD Texas Invitational Basketball Tournament
• Surprise lunch for 400 Veterans at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center Veterans Day Ceremony, plus free in-restaurant sandwich offer for active and retired military on Veterans Day
• Monthly Coffee with a Cop and McTeacher fundraiser events

According to Matthew Kades, President of MOAGH, "We are delighted to celebrate the holiday season by bringing some joy to our young neighbors at Neighborhood Centers. A philosophy of community leadership and social responsibility guides the management team for our restaurants here in the Houston area. In addition to more than $2 million in local giving, our owners served on more than 25 boards and committees in the area and contributed more than $80,000 in in-kind product giving. We are proud of our support for so many worthwhile organizations, and we look forward to spreading more cheer in 2017."
MOAGH collectively owns and operates more than 300 McDonald's restaurants in the region and employs more than 15,000 people in communities across Greater Houston. MHOA, much like the Black McDonald's Owner's Association of Houston (BMOA), is one of many within the co-op that leads community investment programs. Individual owners and operators also work directly with organizations in their neighborhood to serve their local communities through cash, in-kind gifts, and volunteer service.

For information, images and video related to McDonald's community impact this year, click here and view the organization's press kit here.

ABOUT McDONALD'S OWNER/OPERATORS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER HOUSTON

The McDonald's Owner/Operators Association of Greater Houston (MOAGH) is a co-operative of local business owners who own and operate more than 300 McDonald's restaurants in Greater Houston. MOAGH-owned McDonald's restaurants employ more than 15,000 people in the Greater Houston community. Follow your local McDonald's on Twitter @McD_Houston.