Ronald McDonald Family Room & Hospitality Cart Serving Families Again at Albany Med

 Ronald McDonald House Charities® of the Capital Region (RMHC-CR) is happy to announce the Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Hospitality Cart® are back in service to the public. Located inside the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med, both programs extend the comforts of Albany’s Ronald McDonald House® in a hospital setting.

“On behalf of our patients and their families, we are delighted that our longtime friends and partners at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region have re-opened their Family Room and resumed operations of their Hospitality Cart,” said Barbara E. Ostrov, M.D., chief of service at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Med. “The Family Room provides a peaceful, home-like atmosphere for local families who need to be near their sick child and do not want to leave the hospital. The Hospitality Cart, which our Child Life staff helped maintain during the initial months of the Covid-19 pandemic, brings the welcome distraction of something to read or a complementary snack or beverage for those patients and families unable to leave their rooms.”

In March of last year, the Family Room program was suspended in the height of Covid-19. RMHC-CR worked closely with Albany Medical Center to repurpose the space so hospital personnel could have access to the Family Room for their own respite and comfort. Additionally, the Hospitality Cart remained in service through the worst of the pandemic, providing refreshments, comfort items and other resources to more than 1,000 children, families and medical professionals.

“We are so grateful for the generosity of the Capital Region and leadership of Albany Med in providing the highest quality care for children and families,” said Dr. David Jacobsen, CEO of RMHC® of the Capital Region. “What a privilege it is to share the compassion of the community with families through the Ronald McDonald Family Room and Hospitality Cart.”

Established in 2000, the Ronald McDonald Family Room is located just steps away from the pediatric units. Staffed by compassionate volunteers, the Family Room offers a home-like atmosphere for families who need to stay close to their child’s bedside. In January 2020, the RMHC-CR Hospitality Cart started rolling through the children’s hospital, offering healthy snacks, toys, and other resources — all free of charge.

It is estimated both programs combine to serve more than 5,000 visitors each year.