Staff report

EAST PALESTINE — McDonald’s restaurants and The Brightside Project are joining forces to help the residents of East Palestine who are still trying to return to normalcy after the Norfolk Southern train derailment on Feb. 3. McDonald’s restaurants in Northeast Ohio will donate 20 percent of all sales from 4 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday to The Brightside Project’s East Palestine Crisis Relief Fund.

Columbiana County McDonald’s operator Steve Telischek along with McDonald’s in the Cleveland, Akron, Canton and Youngstown areas are taking part in the fundraiser.

“We’re proud to be a part of this community, and we know how tough these last few weeks have been,” Telischak said. “We’re so grateful for all The Brightside Project has done to support East Palestine and we’re happy our support will help them continue serving the community.”

The Brightside Project, a non-profit based in Salem and established to serve children in Columbiana County and surrounding communities, has committed to helping the families in East Palestine through things like mental health resources, gifts and resources for classrooms and teachers, basic necessities, school clothes, school supplies for local students, and other support.

“We’re grateful for our local McDonald’s operators’ partnership and support,” said Scott Lewis, executive director of The Brightside Project. “The proceeds of this fundraiser will directly benefit our neighbors in East Palestine.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the East Palestine Crisis Relief Fund may do so by visiting the non-profit’s brightsideprojectohio.org.