The hashtag #BoycottMacDonalds was trending on Twitter Wednesday morning after it was announced that the charity would be evicting families that are unvaccinated.
The Ronald McDonald House is an organization that provides lodging for the families of sick children who are being treated at hospitals that are often far from their homes.
According to their new policy, at least at some of their operations in Canada, everyone five and older must be vaccinated in order to stay at one of their locations.
“On the recommendation of public health, the 14 member Board of Directors made the decision to mandate vaccinations for everyone working, visiting, or staying at RMH BC & Yukon to ensure we meet the highest standards of health and safety and protect the vulnerable population we serve,” the organization said in a statement emailed to CityNews.
“We appreciate that this policy will impact those who have made a decision not to vaccinate however, the overall health and welfare of all our residents is our primary concern.”
The news went viral after a man named Austin Furgason, whose four-year-old son Jack has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, posted a Facebook video explaining that they were being evicted and confronting the management.
"All tenants, adults and children over the age of 5 who are not vaccinated are out by the end of January. How absolutely wicked and vile. Watch confront the wicked manager to her face! They are evicting my son with leukaemia and any other children or adults who are suffering with sick children into the snow," Furgason wrote in the video's description. "The Covid cult is far more dangerous then Covid. If they will evict families with cancer, what won’t they do. Please share this out! If anybody can get me connected with someone I’m willing to fight this and expose it in any way I can."
The letter read, "Beginning January 17, 2022, everyone five years and older who are working, staying or visiting our facilities (both the House at 4567 Heather St. Vancouver and at the Family Room in Surrey Memorial Hospital) must show proof of full vaccination (two doses), in addition to completing our existing screening, unless an Accommodation has been sought and has been explicitly approved and granted by RMHC (Ronald McDonald House Charities) in writing."
The Furgason's have been staying at Ronald McDonald House since October when Jack began his treatment.
In the video, he confronts a manager at the organization demanding to know why they are being evicted. The staff member claimed that the decision was to protect everyone else who is staying there.
In their statement to CityNews, they claimed that they are working to help find families alternate accomadations.
“Our family services team here would work closely with the team of social workers at the hospital to find alternate accommodation for a family that would meet their needs for the duration of their stay in Vancouver,” it told CityNews.
A GoFundMe that was launched to help the Furgasons find a place to stay has already raised over $26,000.
Timcast has reached out to the Ronald McDonald House for comment and will update this story if one is provided.
