2 Pittsburgh-area McDonald's raise money to help West Virginia after deadly flooding

Two McDonald's restaurants in the Pittsburgh area are raising money to help Wheeling, West Virginia, which was devastated by deadly flash flooding over the weekend.  

Emergency management officials confirm at least seven people have died. The photos of damage and destruction hit close to home for Twila Mezan, who owns and operates the McDonald's restaurants on West Liberty Avenue in Beechview and on Market Place Drive in Oakdale.  

"These are people I know, people around me, people in our communities," said Mezan, who also owns some McDonald's in the Wheeling area. 

The destruction of her home state has been hard to fathom.  

"West Virginia's been my home for almost 40 years now," Mezan said.

She decided to turn to her restaurants and customers for help.

"We decided we were gonna do a digital fundraiser," she said.

Twenty percent of her stores' sales on the McDonald's app will go to the Red Cross.

"They're looking for water, cleaning supplies, paper towels, toilet paper – those things," Mezan said.

It also applies to Mezan's stores with kiosks.

"(We make) well into the seven figures in delivery. We're a high mobile order pay store, so I'm positive today's gonna be successful," she said. 

There are physical ways to donate, too.

"I have tip jars in my restaurants asking people to donate their change and they get a free small fry," Mezan said.

Each of Mezan's stores will donate at least $250.

"It's what we do at McDonald's. It's who we are," she said.

She's hoping they can assist the community in getting back on its feet.

"In the end, what we hope is just, even if we can lighten or help one person, it will have made a difference to us," Mezan said.

The other location participating in this fundraiser Tuesday is on Market Place Drive in Oakdale.