Jefferson Award Recognizes Wai-Ling Eng, Founder of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Bay Area Scholarship Program

SAN FRANCISCO, April 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Wai-Ling Eng, member of the Board of the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Bay Area, (http://rmhcbayarea.org) Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) Global Board of Trustees (http://rmhc.org/who-we-are/board-of-trustees), and owner/operator of McDonald's® restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area, has been honored with the Bay Area Jefferson Award, a "Nobel Prize" that honors community and public service in America.

This award, given locally through CBS 5/KPIX TV, recognizes Eng's volunteer work including her significant contributions to RMHC and RMHCBA, and, most notably, her commitment to supporting the educational aspirations of outstanding students in her community. CBS 5/KPIX TV and host Kate Kelly will feature Eng's story during the 6 p.m. newscast Wednesday, April 27.

Eng was nominated by Teresa Sampayan, mother of Andrew Manansala, a 2009 recipient of a Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bay Area Scholarship.

"This was a total surprise to me," said Eng. "I am honored and proud to be part of RMHCBA, an organization that works diligently to improve the lives of children and their families by providing vital resources, like scholarships for education."

State Senator Leland Yee remarked, "Wai-Ling Eng is a tremendous asset to her community. Her personal and professional achievements are a testament to her persistence, tenacity and desire to give back. From her local community involvement to her global work, Wai-Ling is an invaluable leader."

Eng has received honorable distinctions from other nonprofits where she volunteers her time, but she considers the RMCHBA Scholarship Program "her baby." This program is especially close to her heart, due in large part to her own life's experiences.

Eng and her family immigrated to the U.S. when she was 6. At that time, she didn't speak a word of English. She was committed to her studies as a child, achieving numerous academic successes in grammar and high school. Even so, when the time came, her parents did not have the money to send her to college. A local scholarship provided financial resources where her family could not, allowing her to complete college, and, later, become a nurse and a successful businesswoman. Receiving this scholarship made an indelible impression on Eng.

Eng, with support from McDonald's restaurants and numerous other local corporations, launched the RMHCBA Scholarship Program in 2002. Modeled after RMHC's national scholarship program, Eng and her committee raised enough money that first year to award $1,000 scholarships to 90 high-school seniors.

Now in its 10th year, the RMHCBA Scholarship Program has grown significantly; $150,000 in college scholarships are awarded each year. The program has granted approximately $1.25 million since its inception in 2002.

In 2011, the Scholarship Program will award $1,000 scholarships to 150 local students. The awards ceremony will be held May 18 at the South San Francisco Conference Center.

For more information about Wai-Ling Eng and her Jefferson Award, please visit www.cbssf.com after the story airs April 27. For more information on the history of the Jefferson Award, please visit www.jeffersonawards.org .  

Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Bay Area

Locally, Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Bay Area (RMHCBA) is dedicated to helping children right here in our own backyard by granting funds to our core programs: the Ronald McDonald House® in San Francisco and the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, two RMHC Care Mobile® programs, and the RMHC Scholarship Program. RMHCBA is building a brighter, more promising future for local children and families.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities®

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) – an international charity with a global network of 282 independent chapters in 33 countries – has awarded more than $420 million in grants worldwide toward our mission to make an immediate and positive impact on as many children as possible.

SOURCE Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Greater Bay Area