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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.

Staying at our House

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

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • A Letter of Medical Necessity must be presented upon check-in. This is a note on hospital stationery 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 following steps require you to:

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

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.

Family 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. In addition, all families are required to sign a Release & Agreement to Hold Harmless.

Family 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.
  • Room donations may be made at any time but are encouraged upon checkout.
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