Albany hotel becomes temporary getaway for medical professionals

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Albany Hilton Garden Inn has created “Heroes Landing,” a respite for workers at area hospitals like Albany Medical Center and St. Peter’s Hospital.

With an influx of patients and punishing round-the-clock schedules, hospital staff on the front lines of the coronavirus battle needs time to rest between shifts.

Heroes Landing is a safe haven for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, where they have access to the rest, nutrition, and support they need to combat COVID-19, protect our community, and save lives.

Volunteers at hotel entrances will greet the medical heroes, take their temperatures, and ask a few screening questions. Once inside, visitors get a care package, a warm meal, and access to a room at the Hilton Garden Inn where they can decompress and recharge.

As more and more patients arrive in the Capital Region from other parts of the state, staying safe and in good spirits while treating the virus is vital for medical experts and patients alike. State Employees Federal Credit Union, or SEFCU, has played a major role in creating Heroes Landing.

“While most of us stay home, follow social distancing guidelines, and do all we can to keep our families safe, these dedicated medical professionals are putting themselves in harm’s way to protect us and stop an adversary we have never seen before. To me, there is nothing more heroic than that. The coronavirus pandemic is challenging all of us, but this crisis is also proving that coming together as a community and supporting one another in our time of need is, in fact, the only way to succeed. While we can’t treat the sick, developing ‘Heroes Landing’ is our way of joining the fight and helping those who can.”

SEFCU President and CEO Michael Castellana

Individuals and businesses who want to support heroes who wear scrubs instead of capes can email helping@heroeslanding.org.