Ronald McDonald Family Room & Comfort Cart

Providing snacks, supplies and support right inside the children’s hospital

The Ronald McDonald Family Room is a comfortable haven within the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med where families can find support and respite while they remain close to their hospitalized child and caregivers. Located steps away from the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units and staffed by compassionate volunteers, the Family Room offers a refuge from the stress and tension of the hospital environment. It is an extension of the Ronald McDonald House, providing the same warm, home-like atmosphere for families who need to stay close to their child’s bedside.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room offers parents and relatives a peaceful place to have a snack and a cup of coffee, watch TV, read, or catch up on emails. Siblings can use the Family Room to play quiet games or relax. Our goal is to create a comfortable, supportive and positive environment for families of hospitalized children.

The RMHC Comfort Cart operates within the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med every Monday and Wednesday morning, extending the hospitality of the Family Room directly to patients’ bedsides. The Comfort Cart travels through all five pediatric units of the children’s hospital, including the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, stocked with coffee, snacks, books, and personal care items. From the cart, families can access all of the amenities available within the Family Room without ever leaving their child’s side.

Volunteers are the heart of our programs! The Ronald McDonald Family Room and Comfort Cart programs operate with the help of dozens of volunteers throughout the year. We are currently seeking caring individuals to help staff and welcome families to the Family Room, and to maneuver the Comfort Cart throughout the children’s hospital. With just a few hours each month, you can help serve thousands of pediatric patients and their families each year. To learn more and complete a new volunteer application, click here or contact Tricia Dzurica, Volunteer Coordinator, at (518) 438-2655.