Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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Maine program

A place to stay near the hospital (Ronald McDonald House Maine)

A charity offering family lodging near treatment in Portland and Bangor.

What it is

A charity offering family lodging near treatment in Portland and Bangor.

Staying near treatment can reduce repeated long drives. Ronald McDonald House Maine has Portland and Bangor locations. A referral begins the room request, but it does not guarantee availability.

Eligibility rules
  • Portland and Bangor serve families of patients age 21 or younger receiving treatment away from home. A hospital nurse or social worker makes the referral. The house confirms whether the trip and family fit, room availability and any distance requirements.
  • Rooms generally accommodate immediate family or caregivers, with no more than four guests per room and nightly-use requirements. The house and oncology team assess infection precautions.
What you get
  • Lodging without a room charge, subject to referral and room availability.
What the help includes
  • Families stay at the Portland and Bangor houses without a room charge. Bangor also has two private units for families of immunocompromised children, confirmed by the operator. Your hospital social worker can discuss a referral, availability and your child’s infection precautions with the house; a suitable room is not guaranteed.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask your hospital social worker about a Ronald McDonald House referral.
  2. Share treatment dates, travel distance and any infection precautions the care team recommends.

Portland: 207-780-6282. Bangor: 207-942-9003 · Official page ↗

After you ask
  • The house decides whether it can offer a room for your dates. The hospital social worker can help discuss alternatives.
Good to know

The house and your oncology team need to agree that the room works for your child’s medical needs.

Other details
  • The house is a charity. MaineCare travel benefits require their own separate review.
Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Would lodging near treatment work for our family and my child’s infection precautions? What would it cost, and could you help with a referral if it is suitable?”

Why I’m asking: I want to compare staying near treatment with repeated travel from home.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Ask for the referral early and say how far you live from the hospital.

Your social worker

The hospital social worker makes the referral.

The care team

Records and letters when the application asks for them.

Who decides
Ronald McDonald House Maine decides who gets a room.
Ask your social worker
“We live hours away. Can you refer us to the Ronald McDonald House, and ask about a private unit while my child is neutropenic?”

How to apply

First step: Ask the hospital social worker to refer you, or call 207-780-6282 for Portland or 207-942-9003 for Bangor.

  1. Ask the social worker for a referral before you need the bed.
  2. If the child is immunocompromised and you are in Bangor, ask for a private unit by name.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Ask the hospital social worker to refer you, or call Portland on 207-780-6282 or Bangor on 207-942-9003.

What to gather

  • The admission dates
  • How far you live from the hospital

How long: The wait for a room is not published.

What a yes looks like

A room booked for the stay.

What a no looks like, and the next move

If there is no room, ask the social worker about the hospital's own lodging arrangements and about ride help.

Watch out

  • Ask for the referral early. Rooms are limited and the private units go through the hospital.
  • There is no room charge. A referral does not guarantee a suitable room for the dates needed.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

Family lodging beside the Portland and Bangor centres, with private units in Bangor by referral.

Covers: A family room near the hospital in Portland, 207-780-6282 · A family room near the hospital in Bangor, 207-942-9003 · Private units in Bangor for immunocompromised patients and their families, by referral

What it costs the family: No guest room charge at either Maine house; referral and availability still apply.

The eligibility facts, as published

Note
Patients age 21 or younger receiving treatment away from home. A hospital nurse or social worker refers; the house confirms arrangements and availability. No numerical distance or income cutoff is supplied by the reviewed operator pages.

Expect friction on: Rooms are limited and the referral comes through the hospital

The trap: Ask the social worker to refer you early rather than waiting until you need a bed tonight. The referral route is how the private units in Bangor are reached.

Where I read this

← Back to your options