McDonald’s supports MINA through cash donation

From left, TASI watch community ranger Austin Piteg, Mikki Kautz, Becky Furey, MINA executive director Roberta A. Guerrero, McDonald’s store general manager Joe E. Ayuyu Jr., Wayne Dawe, Celso Regino and McDonald’s owner/operator Marcia E. Ayuyu pose for a group photo at McDonald’s Saipan’s Middle Road location. (Bea Cabrera)

McDonald’s Saipan donated cash to the Micronesia Islands Nature Alliance to support its causes in environmental stewardship and spreading environmental protection awareness by educating the community about how they can do its part.

McDonald’s store general manager Joe E. Ayuyu Jr. said, “McDonald’s is always happy to donate to causes that promote sustainability and environment protection. We know that this is important and this is our way of giving back to the community by supporting MINA to continue on with their projects that benefits all.”

For its part, MINA is thankful for any support that comes from the business community.

“We appreciate the participation of McDonald’s. They have always been a solid supporter of MINA’s mission to create awareness for our community in terms of resiliency over climate change, making sure that our oceans are clean, and our reefs are alive and sustainable fishing for citizens,” said MINA executive director Roberta K. Guerrero.

“Our big projects this year are students’ environmental conservation where we go into the schools and work with the science teachers to teach children about keeping the environment clean, our Adopt-A Bin Project in the beaches, our TASI watch program and the upcoming Green Gala fund- raiser,” she added.

McDonald’s and MINA have been working together over the years to help improve the quality of life on island in terms of living healthy in our natural environment.

“Every year, we learn from MINA. This partnership is geared toward building awareness about how we can be sustainable in different ways. Last year, our packaging moved from plastic and styrofoam to recyclable paper bags, paper cups, burger containers like the Big Mac box,” Ayuyu Jr. said

In terms of a healthy lifestyle, he said McDonald’s is moving into better ingredients.

“When we say better, we mean less preservatives. We are removing artificial flavorings. Our ice cream is an example. It used to contain artificial vanilla flavoring. We removed that and now, it has natural vanilla flavor,” Ayuyu Jr. added.

MINA workers and volunteers get inspired and the will to do more increases when donations come in, according to MINA officer Becky Furey.

“Donations inspire MINA to do more. We have the support of the business community. It’s an honor and keeps us motivated because we have the supporters that believe in our mission,” she said.

Furey added that cash donations and in-kind donations supports MINA’s projects.

“It is because of them that we are able to survive every year. We get federal and private grants but they are all put into one-year projects and a lot depends if we get approval or not every year. Funds go directly to the programs and supports the people who manage the programs.”

McDonald’s and MINA will continue to work with each other to meet the needs of the community.

“As part of McDonald’s responsibility, we listen to groups like MINA and the community to help make the CNMI a better place—protect the Earth, protect the resources, and do what we can,” Ayuyu Jr. said.