Founded in 2021, the 527 Foundation—was created to help provide support and resources to families whose newborns are in the NICU. Such was the case for founder Julie Perich’s twin children—who share 5.27 as their birthday. Born at just 30 weeks, they were 10 weeks shy of full term and born with a myriad of complications. They needed breathing tubes, feeding tubes; both had holes in their hearts and one had a collapsed lung among the other little things that happen to babies in the NICU.

It was days before Perich or her partner could hold them and 40 days before they could take them home, all the while being able to do little more than hope everything would be ok and trust in the medical staff taking care of their children. Thankfully, her twins were lucky enough to have one of the easier recoveries for their situation. But those 40 days have always stuck with Perich, who promised that she would pay it back when she was able. 

Thus, the idea of the 527 Foundation was born.