As a McDonald’s owner/operator and Ronald McDonald House® Orange County (RMHOC) board member, Sharon Frisbie Macdonald carries on her family legacy of service.
Sharon's story with Ronald McDonald House began after her parents opened their first McDonald’s restaurant when she was only four years old. She watched her parents take pride in their work, passing on to their children the belief of giving back to one's local community. She remembers her family's involvement in the openings of the Los Angeles House in 1977 and our Orange County House in 1989. Today, Sharon and her family continue to take inspiration from her parents' example. "We all run our organization together. One of my brothers and my sister have been on the board of [Ronald McDonald House] prior to me. So, we all have grown up being involved at one time or another."
As a second-generation owner/operator of McDonald's in Orange County and a current board member of RMHOC, Sharon helped carry out the Capital Campaign to expand and reopen the House from 20 rooms to 44 in 2025. Besides that, she and the other owner/operators of McDonald's in Orange County do a lot for our families: from volunteering to donating to fundraising through their restaurants. They are a dedicated group with a lot of love to give. “To be a part of something that is so vital to the community, being right here by CHOC and being able to help provide a place for the families to be while their children are being cared for: It really means a lot to me,” Sharon shared. “We have our people volunteer. They help raise funds in the restaurant [by asking customers to round-up to the closest dollar] ...Everybody gets really involved.”
As her sons are learning to become third-generation owner/operators, they are also helping to continue the original mission of their grandparents. Within the Frisbie/Macdonald organization, everyone has a role to play. Their employees and operators alike find fulfillment in helping run events such as Walk for Kids™, fundraising through Round-Up for Ronald McDonald House in their restaurants, and spreading the mission of Ronald McDonald House to their customers.
Through the Frisbie/Macdonald family and the McDonald's organization, the McFamily in Orange County exemplifies what it means to truly serve their community.
