McDonald’s with Mekhi

The 4th annual mcdonald’s with mekhi event will be held on Sunday, March 17, 2024.

On June 20, 2020, three-year-old Mekhi Emil James became one of the city of Chicago’s youngest victims of gun violence. He was buckled in his car seat on his way home from the barbershop. There was a happy meal awaiting his arrival at home in the microwave that he had been promised prior to leaving the house. A bullet took that innocent moment away from him as he was rushed to the hospital instead where he passed from the damage it had done to his young body. Too many of our young people have become victims of gun violence while in the most innocent moments. From watching fireworks with loved ones to playing outside of their family home, or, like Mekhi, buckled in their seatbelts.

With McDonald’s with Mekhi, we get as many people as possible to share the happy meal that Mekhi should have been able to enjoy back in 2020 had a bullet not taken that moment away from him. A happy meal is something that is small, loved, and innocent. Mekhi was also small, loved, and innocent. In sharing a happy meal each year around what would have been his birthday, we are taking back the innocence stolen by gun violence. We are not only taking back the innocence for Mekhi but other young children under the age of 13 who were also victims of gun violence. Currently, we remember a total of 15 children who were from five month to thirteen years old at the time of their death.

Together, we are taking back the innocence stolen by gun violence one happy meal at a time.

Our goal is to have at least 1,000 happy meals shared on March 17th. Will you help us? Click the link to donate below or sign up here to let us know that you will be sharing a happy meal from wherever you are so that we may count your participation.