(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

maintaining hope

Ronald McDonald House Charities doing all it can despite pandemic

Apr 11, 2020 | 10:37 AM

Normally a fairly bustling place, full of hope and inspiration, the scene at Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer is much different right now.

The facility is down to two families including four adults and four children after halting intake of families on March 21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That and other measures are necessary to protect families, staff and volunteers, says Julie List, Marketing and Communications Manager.

“We have also suspended all of our volunteer shifts and recreational programming, and are down to essential staff only working in our houses,” she says. “Families staying in the Red Deer House are practicing social distancing, due to limited access to shared or common areas in the House, especially at meal times. We are of course paying close attention to stringent hygiene and sanitation measures as well.”

At the heart of Ronald McDonald House are its volunteers, who prepare dinner daily, among other things, for current residents.

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“Our #HerofromHome campaign, which was set up as a way to continue to provide meals for families in Calgary, Edmonton, and Red Deer in the absence of our Home for Dinner program, has been incredibly successful,” List notes. “We have so many supporters in the community who have ensured that our families continue to have warm, nutritious meals on the table each night.”

Donations specifically for the Hero From Home campaign can be made HERE.

Meantime, RMHC has also postponed its annual Red Deer Charity Golf Classic at Alberta Springs from June 18 to August 6, 2020.

“Although we are all navigating these incredibly difficult times, the community in Red Deer – and all across the province – has amazed us with their generosity,” List says with optimism.

“We are really looking forward to serving more families when we’re able to become fully operational again.”