HOULTON — A local insurance company has teamed up with a Bangor agency to help families of patients undergoing treatments at Bangor-area medical facilities.
“The FA Peabody Company is pleased to, once again, support the Ronald McDonald House in Bangor (RMH), now through the end of February. The Ronald McDonald House provides temporary housing and meals to families and individuals who are undergoing medical treatments in the Bangor area,” said Troy Heald, branch manager/sales agent with the Caribou office.
Heald noted that many of the patients and families assisted by RMH are from The County. That’s why FA Peabody has stepped up to offer assistance.
“As you can imagine, many of the guests at RMH come from the outlying areas like Aroostook and Washington counties (which make up over 50 percent of their occupancies) due to the travel time and expense involved in commuting back and forth to be with their family members or to undergo treatments themselves. Therefore, to offer our support, we will be collecting everyday items they use to keep the house operating,” Heald said.
Donations can be made at any of the insurance company’s offices, including Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton.
“Please feel free to stop by any one of our local offices and drop off your donation. All items and funds we collect through our employees and through the public will go towards helping those individuals who are receiving the benefits of the Ronald McDonald House in Bangor,” said Heald.
Heald provided stats regarding the RMH in Bangor from 2013, taken from the RMH 2014 Newsletter: 37 percent were from Aroostook, with 25 percent from Washington/ Hancock, 14 percent Penobscot, 22 percent from other Maine counties and 2 percent from out of state.
With anywhere from 300 to over 500 occupants each year and the average stay equaling eight nights, it is easy to see the need, noted Heald. Items needed include: items for the kitchen, such as paper towels, trash bags and dish soap; and double sheet sets, pillowcases and twin-sized deep pocket fitted sheets for the bedroom. Also needed are food items such as cereal and canned goods, household items like lunch-sized paper bags, fluorescent light bulbs and cleaning cloths, and for the bathroom they need toiletries, bath towels, hand towels and shower curtain liners.
Donations can also be made online at www.rmhbangor.org/.
