Middle Georgia businesses rally to support families at Ronald McDonald House after car break-ins

"It's heartbreaking that someone would do this, especially when our families are at the hospital dealing with sick children," President of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia Patty Gibbs said.

August 6, 2024

Tanya Modersitzki,

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Middle Georgia businesses have come together to assist families staying at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia after their car windows were broken during a series of break-ins over the weekend.

Break-ins at Ronald McDonald House: What happened?

According to President of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia Patty Gibbs, the break-ins happened around 4 a.m. Saturday. A man, whose photo is attached to this story, entered the property and damaged the vehicles. While nothing was stolen, the families were left dealing with shattered windows.

Businesses step in to help repair damaged cars

Billy’s Auto Glass is not a regular visitor at the Ronald McDonald House in Macon, but on Tuesday morning, a team was there repairing six cars affected by the break-ins.

“It’s heartbreaking that someone would do this, especially when our families are at the hospital dealing with sick children,” Gibbs said.

When local restaurant Grow Fresh Local Food learned about the break-ins, they quickly organized a fundraiser to help cover the repair costs. In a Facebook post, the restaurant announced they were selling lasagna trays, which sold out quickly, raising enough money to fix the damaged windows.

“I think the strength of our Central Georgia community came through, and I think that they’re happy that we are able to do this for them, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our community,” Gibbs said.