Little things do add up, and aluminum pull tabs are a good example.
Those small metal openers on pop and other cans weigh very little, but they are bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).
RMHC operate homes were families can stay while their children are treated for serious conditions at nearby hospitals. Years ago, the global organization began collecting aluminum pull tabs as a fundraiser. There is a Ronald McDonald House in Toledo and two in Ann Arbor.
“We do not have a total number of houses in the U.S. or world that collect tabs, but (RMHC) Global says that most in the U.S. do collect tabs,” said Adam Simpson, communications and marketing coordinator for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio.
The Northwest Ohio chapter, which is based in Toledo, began in 1982. It started collecting tabs in 1986.
“In 2024, we estimated that our Ronald McDonald House collected 16.3 million tabs. In 2024, we raised over $7,600 through our tab program. Year to date in 2025, we have raised nearly $7,000, so we’ll shatter last year’s numbers. It all depends on the price of aluminum. We work with our local partner, OmniSource. They donated a collection container to us. When the container is full, they come and pick it up, weigh the tabs, recycle and send us a check for whatever the price per pound of aluminum is,” Simpson said.
What’s the money used for?
Each Ronald McDonald House has its own use for the funds. In Toledo, the money buys food for the House that’s located near ProMedica Russell J. Ebeid Children’s Hospital.
“The proceeds we receive from our tab program help offset the cost of pantry items for families at our Ronald McDonald House,” Simpson said.
In 2024, 30 Monroe County families had 500 overnight stays at the Toledo Ronald McDonald House. So far this year, 21 families have had 485 overnight stays, according to Simpson.
In Ann Arbor, proceeds go into the general fund.
“The money generated from the pop tab donation is considered a general donation to RMHC to support the families staying with us. It does not have a designated program it supports,” said Shelby Kennedy, development and marketing manager for the RMHC of Ann Arbor.
The Main House in Ann Arbor is a short walk from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and has 31 rooms with private bathrooms, according to organization’s webpage.
The second Ann Arbor location, Mott House, is on the 10th floor of Mott Children’s Hospital. It has 12 guest rooms available.
Why collect just the tabs?
Tabs are cleaner than cans and smaller than cans, so they are easier to store and transport, according to RMHC.
Can I still get my 10-cent deposit back on Michigan cans without tabs?
“Yes, cans can be returned without the pop tab attached to them,” Kennedy said.
Are just tabs from pop cans accepted?
No, any aluminum pull tab is accepted, including tabs from soup, fruit, vegetables and pet food cans.
“If you’re unsure if your tabs are acceptable or not, you can see if they stick to a magnet. If they do, then they’re steel and should not be included in your collection,” according to RMHC of Ann Arbor.
How many tabs are in one pound?
“It takes approximately 1,200 tabs to equal one pound,” according to RMHC of Ann Arbor.
Where can I take my tabs?
Tab collection in Monroe County
Through the years, some in Monroe County have collected large amounts of pull tabs.
In July of 2023, ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital said on its Facebook page that it collected 142 pounds of tabs over the previous 12 months for the RMHC of Northwest Ohio.
In 2011, Carleton siblings Logan and Lexi McLaughlin, with help from the Wagar Middle School National Junior Honor Society, collected more than 67,000 pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House in Toledo.
A 2003 Monroe News story featured Roy Smith, whose collection of 100,000 pop tabs was handed down to his 9-year-old grandson, D.J. Martinez. D.J. of Erie continued his grandfather’s mission and filled 22 milk jugs with tabs.
— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Help area Ronald McDonald Houses: A guide to collecting and donating aluminum pull tabs
Reporting by Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
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