Ronald McDonald Family Rooms & Comfort Cart

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

The Ronald McDonald Family Rooms within Albany Medical Center provide a comfortable, supportive and positive environment for families of hospitalized children. Parents and relatives visit the Family Rooms to share a peaceful moment, have a snack and a cup of coffee, watch TV, read, or catch up on emails. Siblings also use the Family Rooms to play quiet games or relax.

An extension of the Ronald McDonald House, our Family Rooms provide the same warm, home-like atmosphere for families who need to stay close to their child’s bedside. Both Ronald McDonald Family Rooms are staffed by our amazing volunteers, who welcome families daily and provide comfort, care and support  when they need it most.

Our longest running family room, located on D7 of the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center, has provided families with support and respite for the past 25 years. Located just steps away from the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units and staffed by compassionate volunteers, the D7 Family Room offers a refuge from the stress and tension of the hospital environment.

In January 2026, with tremendous pride and gratitude, we opened the doors to our NEW Ronald McDonald Family Room located in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Albany Medical Center. Much like the original Family Room, the NICU Family Room provides families with a relaxing and supportive space just steps away from their little ones.

Comfort Cart

The RMHC Comfort Cart operates within the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med, extending the hospitality of the Family Room directly to patients’ bedsides. The Comfort Cart travels through the PICU, General Pediatrics and the NICU, including the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders and the Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center, 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.

The RMHC Comfort Cart operates:

• Monday & Wednesday’s from 8am-12pm at PICU, General Pediatrics (D7 & C7) and the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer & Blood Disorders
• Tuesday’s from 5pm-7pm and Thursday’s from 4pm-6pm at the Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center

Volunteers are the heart of our hospital 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 our Family Rooms, 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 Rya Vallabhaneni, Volunteer Engagement Specialist, at (518) 438-2655.