

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Hall.
Hi Ashley, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Ashley Hall. I am the founder of Houston’s Lift Off. This is Houston’s story. Houston was born at 25 weeks. He was born August 14th, 2015. He weighted 1 pound 3 ounces when he born. He lived 4 1/2 months in the NICU. He was born at Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio. He was transferred to Akron Childrens when he was 3 months old. Houston, unfortunately, passed away 1 in half months later. He passed away January 5th, 2016, 👼🏽
My daughter at the time was 3 years old. When we were transferred to Akron, we got to stay at the Ronald McDonald house. The Ronald McDonald House is a place to live and eat at while you have a sick child at Akron Childrens. We didn’t have to worry about gas or paying for meals. We got to stay free of charge. There were a lot of families supporting and donating to the NICU while our time in Akron.
After years of trying to figure out how to honor Houston, I came up with our 501 c3 nonprofit. We have been established since April of 2020. We have helped bring joy to 563 NICU families in Canton, Ohio. We donate items such as gas gift cards, food gift cards, hygiene items, stuffed animals, diapers, catered lunches, etc.
Our ending goal is to have housing like the Ronald McDonald house in Canton.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our nonprofit is growing every day. We have a great group of supporters. However, we are in need of a constant stream of money flow. We would love to have a monthly sponsorship from a business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Statistics show that 1 in 10 babies are born prematurely. Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in young children. It is our mission and our duty to raise awareness for families who have a sick baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. My personal experience has taught me how difficult it is with a child in the hospital for a long period of time. It is financially, physically, and mentally hard. Houston’s Lift Off offers counseling services, along with providing necessities a family may need while being in the hospital. We are different from any other organization because our sole focus is providing support for the NICU. I’m so proud how much exposure we are getting from the public. That is all we can ask for is spreading the word about our organization.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The https://www.marchofdimes.org/ website is a great resource to use!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.HoustonsLiftOff.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/houstonsliftoff?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067624064462&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/wS1VQxLouMM
Image Credits
Akron Children’s NICU