Thanks to a grant from the COVID-19 Response Fund for Greater Dayton, families and frontline workers were provided with a safe place to stay.
The world was forced to adapt when the coronavirus pandemic hit early last year. While many nonprofits temporarily shut their doors, others adjusted their services to align with the new normal. One organization that did this is Ronald McDonald House Charities Dayton (RMHC Dayton) which provides temporary housing for families of seriously ill children.
It was not until the Ronald McDonald House headquarters, located in Chicago, announced a temporary global shutdown of facilities and suspension of new families, that the branch in Dayton decided to act and uniquely open their doors to another population in need.
“Our House program was suspended in March 2020, so no new families could enter,” said Alexandra Randolph, development manager for RMHC Dayton. “Families already were paying expensive medical bills. Asking them to incur additional fees for a hotel stay in the midst of a pandemic didn’t seem right.”
In an effort to remain true to its mission while also staying committed to the health and well-being of families, RMHC Dayton decided the best way to accommodate families would be to put them up in hotels. To help fund this project, RMHC Dayton applied and received a $25,000 grant from The COVID-19 Response Fund for Greater Dayton.
Without the grant from the COVID-19 Response Fund, RMHC Dayton would have been unable to serve anyone between the months of March and July last year.
– Alexandra Randolph, development manager for RMHC Dayton
For a cumulative total of 210 nights, six families were given the opportunity to be placed in hotels near the medical center where their child was being treated.
“Through funding provided by the COVID-19 Response Fund for Greater Dayton, we provided the families that were currently utilizing the House with alternative accommodations,” Alexandra said. “Families also received care packages, food vouchers and ongoing social support to ensure the safety, security, comfort and general well-being throughout this tumultuous time.”
RMHC Dayton’s support, however, did not end with accommodating families in need of their services.
“We wanted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to frontline medical professionals’ families,” Alexandra said. “RMHC Dayton gave 14 frontline healthcare workers a safe place to rest, regroup and recharge for a cumulative total of 154 nights for their ongoing battle inside the hospital walls.”
“RMHC Dayton is proud to have served our community in a different way through the critical first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Alexandra said. “Without the grant from the COVID-19 Response Fund, RMHC Dayton would have been unable to serve anyone between the months of March and July last year. We couldn’t have done this without The Dayton Foundation’s support!”