COVID-19 Update – May 2021

Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Capital Region (RMHC-CR) continues to fulfill our mission in support of children and families through the Ronald McDonald House® (RMH) and Ronald McDonald Family Room® (RMFR).

RMH resumed services on June 29, 2020 and continues to provide a home away from home for families with children receiving treatment at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med. Throughout the pandemic, RMH has accommodated the needs of families, including providing hotel stays during the height of the pandemic. We are so thankful for our essential volunteers and community support that has kept families both safe and together during this time.

RMFR services were suspended in March 2020 and began the phased process of reinstatement on April 19 in collaboration with Albany Med. The Hospitality Cart, an extension of RMFR, continued to operate for most of 2020 thanks to the willingness of Child Life Specialists working together with RMHC-CR staff.  Both aspects of RMFR are open and we are set for essential volunteers to return to the Family Room by the end of May.

On May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) release new guidelines regarding the pandemic. These guidelines allow fully vaccinated individuals no longer to be required to socially distance or wear masks. New York State is reviewing these guidelines and may soon update requirements accordingly.

Within RMHC-CR programs, there continues to be a need for a higher level of caution. All pandemic-related measures that have kept our families safe throughout the past 15 months remain in effect. Within programs, everyone is expected to practice preventive measures including and not limited to proper hand-washing, social distancing, wearing masks in common areas, and passing daily wellness checks. It is prudent that we remain mindful of the common experience for many of our families that are facing immunocompromising diagnoses. Therefore, this update serves as a reminder that RMHC-CR remains fully committed to promoting the health and safety for every child and family.