LOS ANGELES, May 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Southern California (RMHCSC) awarded 115 accomplished college-bound seniors scholarship funds totaling $248,000 during a celebratory event at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles. The scholarships and medals were awarded during a recognition ceremony where recipients were honored and commended by their families, school counselors, RMHCSC representatives, and Southern California McDonald's owners and operators. Parisa Tabriz, Google's Security Princess gave an inspiring keynote message before the celebrations ended with photos and well wishes.

Since 1990, RMHCSC has awarded more than $5 million in total scholarship funds to Southern California high school students to help make their dreams of a college education a reality. Funding for these scholarships is made possible through the global and Southern California chapters of RMHC and the fundraising efforts of local McDonald's owner/operators and corporate staff. The McDonald's Operators' Association of Southern California (MOASC) pays for administrative costs of the scholarship programs, including the production and distribution of applications and the recipient recognition event.

The Chapter provides scholarships through four programs each year: RMHC® African American Future Achievers, RMHC® Asian Pacific American Students Increasing Achievement (ASIA), RMHC®  Hispanic American Commitment to Educational Resources (HACER) and RMHC®  Scholars. Scholarship funds can be applied to tuition, fees and other appropriate educational expenses. Applicants are selected because of their academic achievement, community involvement and recommendations from teachers, counselors and community leaders.

"The scholarship luncheon is always a special day for the Chapter, our friends at McDonald's and the students being honored for their hard work," said Vince Bryson, CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California. "We are committed to providing opportunities and resources that strengthen families and are inspired by what these students are looking to achieve."  

Recipients of RMHCSC scholarships are selected through a rigorous application process and represent the highest caliber students in the five counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. These scholarships give the recipients an opportunity to pursue their educations goals and help ease some of the collegiate financial burden. Interested applicants can begin the process for 2016 scholarships in October, 2015.

About McDonald's Operators Association of Southern California

The McDonald's Operators' Association of Southern California (MOASC) is comprised of more than 600 franchised and company-owned McDonald's restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Follow us on Twitter: @McDonalds_SoCal.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Southern California

For more than 35 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Southern California (RMHCSC) has been dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and families across Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. RMHCSC helps families with critically-ill children stay together, connecting them with others facing similar challenges through its six Ronald McDonald Houses® in Bakersfield, Loma Linda, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange and Pasadena and two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms®. One of the few chapters to operate a cost-free, medically supervised Camp Ronald McDonald For Good Times®, RMHCSC helps children with cancer and their siblings rediscover childhood and develop the self-esteem and self-efficacy often lost as a result of the disease. The organization also provides funding through its Community Grants Board to deserving non-profits that improve the lives of children and funds four college scholarship programs that help exemplary high school students pursue the education of their dreams. More information about RMHCSC and its programs can be found at www.rmhcsc.org or on

www.Facebook.com/RMHCSoCal and www.Twitter.com/RMHC_SoCal .

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SOURCE Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California