13 May Albany Elks award grant to help children and families

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Albany Lodge #49 has been a part of the Albany community for more than 130 years, providing charitable services with a focus on children and veterans.

Typically, the Elks partner with local service organizations to provide assistance in ways that involve close contact to hand out goods and food. This year, while facing the constraints of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the National Elks made a funding stream available that allowed local lodges to award funds directly to organizations in need. The Albany Elks Lodge applied for such funding, identifying Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of the Capital Region (RMHC^®-CR) as the community organization they wished to support.

A $2,000 grant was awarded to the Albany Elks, which they presented to RMHC-CR this week in Albany. The grant will help children and families facing significant medical challenges during the pandemic.

While new admissions to Ronald McDonald Houses worldwide have been suspended to prevent exposure and the spread of COVID-19, we are continuing our mission at RMHC-CR by providing local hotel accommodations, meals and other support for families whose children are being treated at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med. Likewise, our RMHC-CR Hospitality Cart at the children’s hospital is operating daily to provide coffee, snacks, comfort items and other resources to children, families, and health care workers. We are preparing a four-phase plan to safely resume admitting families to the Ronald McDonald House^® in Albany at the appropriate time.