Elevating Caregiver Voices at Ronald McDonald House New York
Black History Month is a time to pause and listen. It is a moment to honor history not only through reflection, but through presence. At Ronald McDonald House New York, that presence lives in the voices of Black caregivers whose strength, leadership, and care shape the House every day.
These voices carry real life experience. They carry grief, resilience, humor, and hope. They carry children through medical journeys that test every part of the human spirit. And they carry community forward, often without realizing just how much space they hold for others.
This Black History Month, Ronald McDonald House New York is honored to elevate the voices of three mothers whose stories reflect the heart of the House. Shonda, Melissa, and Neisha are caregivers who watched their children fight for their lives and who, in the process, helped build belonging for families far from home.
Their words remind us that compassionate care does not end at the hospital door. It continues in shared kitchens, quiet hallways, late night conversations, and moments of connection that change everything.
Shonda and Family
Mending Roro’s Heart
When Shonda arrived at Ronald McDonald House New York with her daughters Aviana, Vaughncia, and Rohana, she arrived carrying uncertainty and fear. Her youngest daughter Roro was waiting for a heart transplant. Their home in Albion, New York was five hours away. Family, familiarity, and routine were suddenly out of reach.
Inside the House, Shonda noticed something else. Families were staying close to themselves. Everyone was carrying something heavy.
So, she spoke up.
She suggested karaoke.
That simple invitation shifted the atmosphere. Children sang. Parents cheered. Music crossed language barriers and backgrounds. What began as an activity became a turning point.
After that night, families stopped feeling like strangers. They became something closer.
When asked what Ronald McDonald House New York had become for her family, Shonda answered without hesitation.
“Ronald McDonald House New York is more than a house. It is family to me.”
Her words reflect the power of community when it is built from openness and care.
Read more about Shonda and her daughters in
Mending Roro’s Heart A Family’s Journey at RMH NY
Melissa and Family
Fighting Cancer With Family
Melissa’s journey to Ronald McDonald House New York began in Trinidad and Tobago when her son Dimitris was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Treatment brought them to New York. Fear came with them.
The questions were constant. How will we afford this? Where will we stay? How will we get through each day?
Those questions quieted the first night Melissa stayed at the House.
"When this whole journey started, I was having problems to sleep at night. But coming here the first night I slept through the night for the first time. One thing that was worrying me was done. Eliminated. All because of being in this House."
For Melissa, being together under one roof changed everything. Stability replaced panic. Rest became possible. Emotional support arrived not as a promise, but as a lived experience.
Over time, Melissa became a steady presence inside the House. She noticed when other mothers needed comfort. She offered hugs without asking questions. She helped create a sense of safety that extended beyond her own family.
Her voice speaks to the power of family centered care when it is practiced with intention and heart.
Read more about Melissa and Dimitris in
Fighting Cancer with Family An RMH NY Tradition
Neisha and Family
From Grenada to New York
Neisha trusted her instincts when something felt wrong with her infant son Azaire. That trust carried her from Grenada to New York City in search of answers and ultimately toward a lifesaving liver transplant.
At Ronald McDonald House New York, Neisha found relief in the smallest and most meaningful ways. A place to sleep. Meals she did not have to worry about. Staff who knew her name. Volunteers who welcomed her with warmth.
It helped to relieve the mental burden, she shared. When you are constantly worried about your child, knowing someone else is holding part of the weight matters.
For Neisha, the House became a place of emotional support during long days of uncertainty.
“Ronald McDonald House New York is more than a house. It is your family when your family is scattered, and it is hope when you think all is lost.”
Her words reflect what holistic care looks like when families are supported as whole people.
Read more about Neisha and Azaire in
From Grenada to New York Neisha and Azaire’s Journey with Ronald McDonald House New York
When Caregivers Become Community
Inside the House, friendships often form in unexpected ways. Shonda and Melissa found one another through shared understanding and quiet moments that did not require explanation.
Their connection grew into a friendship rooted in resilience and care. A bond built through the recognition that no one should walk this journey alone.
Their story reminds us that Black caregivers are not only receiving support inside the House. They are creating it.
Read more about their bond in
A Friendship Forged in Resilience and Connection at RMH NY
Caregiving as an Act of Strength
This Black History Month coincides with National Caregivers Day, observed each year on the third Friday in February, which honors those who provide physical and emotional care to loved ones facing illness. In 2026, it falls on February 20. More than 41 million Americans provide unpaid care, often devoting the equivalent of a part-time or full-time job to supporting someone else’s survival.
Shonda, Melissa, and Neisha reflect what those numbers cannot fully capture. Their caregiving extends far beyond appointments and medications. It includes emotional support during sleepless nights, advocacy within complex healthcare systems, and the steady presence their children rely on during treatment.
At Ronald McDonald House New York, caregiving does not happen in isolation. The House exists to support caregivers as whole people, recognizing that family centered care and holistic care must include those who are doing the caring. By easing daily burdens such as housing, meals, and transportation, the House helps caregivers reclaim moments of rest and stability, allowing them to remain present for their children when it matters most.
Honoring caregivers during Black History Month means acknowledging both their sacrifice and their leadership. These women are not only responding to crisis. They are shaping community, modeling resilience, and holding families together through extraordinary circumstances.
Honoring Black Voices Through Action
Black History Month invites reflection. It also invites accountability. It asks institutions to listen, to learn, and to honor voices that have long carried strength without recognition.
At Ronald McDonald House New York, elevating Black voices means creating space for truth, leadership, and community. It means understanding that emotional support, compassionate care, and family centered care are essential to healing.
This month and every month, the House remains committed to listening to caregivers like Shonda, Melissa, and Neisha and to building a future where every family feels seen, supported, and held together when it matters most.
Support these incredible women and their families by giving to Ronald McDonald House New York during Black History Month.
