Imagine giving birth at just 26 weeks. Now imagine that your baby was in such a hurry, you had no choice but to give birth in a parking lot - hours away from the hospital. It seems fantastical, but it's how Charlene Norvell's second son, Asher Eli, decided to come into this world. At 26 weeks, Asher required immediate and constant attention at Renown Regional Medical Center, hours away from the family's home in Susanville, California. Charlene had plenty to worry about: would Asher survive? Who would take care of her oldest son, Landon? As a single mother, how was she going to afford consistently traveling to Reno to give her son the skin-to-skin contact he would desperately need? How was she going to find the energy to repeatedly manage the 2-hour drive? That's where Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern Nevada stepped in. Our mission is to provide a home-away-from home for families who need to be near their child when it counts the most, and we're proud to say we hosted Charlene when she needed a home-away-from-home close to her premature baby boy. With support from our generous volunteers and donors, we're able to provide the gift of togetherness to those families dealing with a child receiving critical treatment at an area hospital. Since 1987, Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern Nevada has created and supported programs that directly improve the health education and well-being of children and families. While we cannot make medicine taste better or take away painful treatments, we can lessen the financial and emotional burden a family faces when their child is sick. We believe that children heal faster when their families are close. We rely on the generosity of thousands of donors, the ingenuity of local volunteers, and the dedication of our staff to operate our programs. Your help matters. By volunteering at RMHC, you will help us strengthen families during their most difficult and challenging times. Volunteer today and give the gift of family togetherness. Thank you for your support!