After historic ice storms left blocked roads and power outages across ten northern counties, McDonald’s of Michigan is partnering with The Salvation Army Great Lakes Division to offer $2,000 worth of Arch Cards to support those affected by the storm.
The Salvation Army Team and local first responders will distribute the gift cards to those in need of a hot meal and a moment of comfort during the recovery process.
Ashley Villaire’s family owns several McDonald’s restaurants across Cheboygan, Charlevoix, and Emmet counties, and opened them as warming centers and community gathering spaces.
She and Supervisor Tracey Borowicz shared their thoughts on what the gift cards will mean to residents.
“It’s not a very well-off community and a lot of these people are going through $50-60 worth of gas just to keep their generators running. They’re waking up at three in the morning trying to keep their generators and refrigerators running, and I don't think a lot of people are able to stock the refrigerator. They're not able to cook at home,” says Villaire.
“And they have a lot of people that are still not able to work," adds Borowicz. "A lot of people work remotely. There's no internet up here so people are struggling with finances as well. “
Utility companies' crews are making progress restoring electricity in most areas, but some still face a prolonged outage, and clean-up will take weeks to complete.
