Ronald McDonald House Launches COVID Relief Plan to Continue Critical Services
Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley recently launched a COVID relief plan to enable the organization to continue providing critical services to families experiencing medical emergencies during the pandemic.
Donations will allow the non-profit organization to provide immediate needs, such as food and shelter, to families with children receiving medical treatment at the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla and other local pediatric medical facilities. Other needs, such as continued support through ongoing programs, will also be prioritized.
Of the programs highlighted is Meals that Heal, which offers families one less thing to worry about during their stay at the Ronald McDonald House. The organization also provides personal protective equipment for staff and families, remote education resources for young students and their parents, and mental health support.
“The stress and uncertainty that we all experienced this year reminds us of what families with critically ill children face every day,” said Anthony Trimarchi, RMHGHV Board Member. “The COVID Relief Plan will enable us to continue to support these families as we fully re-open our House in the upcoming months.”
With ongoing restrictions resulting in a limited number of volunteers permitted onsite, the necessary work volunteers do for families, including donating, preparing, and serving meals, have stopped. However, children are still getting extremely sick or injured.
While the House was forced to close their doors at the height of the pandemic, critically ill children and families in need still required support. The organization covered accommodations costs as families were stationed offsite at local hotels and Airbnb homes so they could remain close to their child’s medial care facility.
The House did reopen in July but enforced several restrictions to assure safety of all.
For almost a decade, Ronald McDonald House has provided a home away from home for more than 2,000 families with hospitalized children in critical condition, saving them over $5 million in lodging and meal costs.
Donations to the Ronald McDonald House COVID Relief Plan can be made at https://give.rmh-ghv.org/campaigns/16693-covid-relief-plan
