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Staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Buffalo

Our House Is Your Home Away From Home

We want your family to be comfortable when you enter the House. But most importantly, we want to provide you with the support you need so you can focus on the most important thing – your child’s care and wellbeing.

Our Buffalo House is a communal living environment. We ask all guests to be mindful and considerate of our other guests, staff, and volunteers.

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Referrals

SOCIAL WORKERS/HOSPITAL & MEDICAL STAFF:

To provide a REFERRAL for a family to stay at the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House, you MUST first complete our form. Please contact us at (716) 883-1177 or email [email protected].

To stay overnight at the Ronald McDonald House, families must:

  • Have a patient 21 years or younger receiving treatment at any medical facility in Buffalo.
  • Children under the age of 18 MUST be accompanied by their parent or a legal guardian.
  • Priority is given to families who live 5 miles or more from the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House and have a child being treated at an area hospital.
  • Family members must be first referred to the House by a hospital staff member, social worker, nurse, or doctor. A medical professional can make referrals between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., seven days a week.
  • A Letter of Medical Necessity must be presented upon check-in. This is a note on hospital letterhead stating that parents must stay at the House to be near their children. It must include the reason for hospitalization and the initial date of admission or treatment.
 

If you meet these qualifications, the next steps require you to:

  • Wait for a confirmation– A referral is not a “reservation” and does not guarantee availability.
  • Check Availability– Because we are unable to make reservations, you must wait to hear confirmation from your child’s nurse/social worker, or call us 24 hours before your arrival date (716) 883-1177 to ensure that a room is available.

Check In Procedure

  • All adults staying at the Ronald McDonald House must present photo IDs and complete the registration process before receiving accommodations.
  • Upon check-in, families will receive our Guidelines & Policies. All families are required to sign a Release & Agreement to Hold Harmless.

Check Out Procedure

  • Upon a child’s discharge from the hospital, families must visit the front desk and begin the check-out process before leaving.
  • Room keys must be returned to the front desk.

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