Mother and Child Alliance

03/13/2026

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we’d once again like to express our appreciation for the amazing folks at The Albert Pick Jr, Fund.

The Albert Pick, Jr. Fund has been providing vital and empowering support for Chicagoans in need for more than 75 years — since 1947! That includes many organizations that provide services for women and girls, like Mother and Child Alliance.

But the Pick Fund also does an impressive job of keeping up with the changing times. Last year the Pick Fund’s leadership recognized that many of the organizations they support have been impacted by severe funding cuts and an environment of financial instability.

The Pick Fund’s response has been truly inspiring: in this time of crisis, they’ve responded by doubling down on their support for organizations in need.

That includes everything from providing two-year general operating grants for existing partners to awarding multi-year ecosystem grants that support capacity building for smaller nonprofits, and doubling the amount of their law student scholarship.

The Pick Fund has also awarded six Rapid Response grants to organizations working to fortify multi-racial solidarity and provide on-the-ground legal and direct service support to communities adversely impacted by ICE and CBP activity.

We’re so grateful for the Pick Fund and all that they do to make Chicago a better place, and provide a lifeline for those who need it the most. You can learn more about the Pick Fund’s work by visiting their new website at albertpickjrfund.org.

03/11/2026

Things were a little different this year for National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day ( ). Each year on March 10, US organizations and groups come together to show support for women across the gender spectrum living with HIV or with reasons for prevention.

But unlike most years, in 2026 the US government disavowed this awareness day and with it, any commitment to affirm the issues that matter to women and girls. In the vacuum they left, The Well Project - HIV and women and Positive Women's Network - USA — two national organizations focused on HIV and cis and trans women and gender diverse people — stepped in to lead efforts to honor and uplift this day.

As The Well Project's executive director, Krista Martel, put it: "When the powers that be aim to silence, erase, and harm us, we stand together and grow louder, together, as sisters in this fight."

The two organizations released a joint statement, including calls to action for building awareness, community, and solidarity. You can read the full statement via the link below:

https://www.thewellproject.org/news-press/well-project-and-positive-womens-network-usa-joint-statement-nwghaad

03/09/2026

For International Women’s Day (March 8th), our friends at Positive Women's Network - USA shared this important reminder.

03/06/2026

As MACA heads into our 26th year of service, we’re asking supporters to join our challenge by signing up for a small monthly gift. It’s an easy but very effective way to empower our ongoing efforts to keep moms and babies healthy in 2026 and beyond.

We’re so grateful to everyone who’s already answered this call. Your monthly donation, no matter the size, helps us provide reliable care, resources, and support to lift up moms with HIV and protect newborns from perinatal infections like congenital syphilis, throughout Illinois.

It’s simple to join:

1. Click on the link below
2. Choose your donation amount
3. Select the “Make Recurring Gift” checkbox
4. Know that you’re helping to build something that lasts

💙 Every donor matters. Every dollar helps. And together, we can keep showing up for the families who need us.

Donate here: https://givemaca.givevirtuous.org/donate

03/04/2026

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day ( ) is coming up on Tuesday, March 10! At MACA, we’re adding our voices to those of The Well Project - HIV and women and Positive Women's Network - USA, who are taking the lead to honor NWGHAAD, championing the theme “Sisterhood, Hope, and Equity.”

This year it’s especially important to lift up NWGHAAD, since the federal government has elected not to acknowledge the day. So please join us in sharing information and resources around women and HIV.

If you’d like to help spread the word, you can access a social media toolkit via the link below — and keep an eye out for an upcoming joint statement from The Well Project and PWN-USA, written contributions from women in our community, and additional social media content.

This year, it is only fitting for The Well Project and Positive Women's Network - USA to team up and take the lead in assuring that NWGHAAD stays on the national radar.

03/02/2026

The federal government’s devastating cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) mean that millions of Americans are at risk of losing food access in 2026. Thousands of Illinoisans, including families with children, may be affected.

One great resource for finding help is Save Our SNAP. Its website can help Illinoisans find out whether they’re meeting the new requirements or if they qualify for exemptions — and even get help managing their case.

SaveOurSNAP.org also provides information about the changes, as well as tools for contacting elected officials and raising your voice to help protect SNAP.

SaveOurSNAP is a statewide coalition of organizations united to strengthen and protect the SNAP program in Illinois. As its website says, “Our collective action can help mitigate harm and build a brighter future for Illinois neighbors in need of food assistance.”

Visit the SaveOurSNAP website to find out more:
https://saveoursnap.org/

02/27/2026

Knowledge is the key to preventing HIV in newborns. It's entirely possible to keep HIV from being transmitted from mothers to babies, as long as moms have the support, care, and information they need.

But in some cases, pregnant people who are living with HIV might not be aware of their status. That's why we helped pass a law to make sure all moms in Illinois get offered testing for HIV, both at the beginning of their pregnancy and again in the third trimester. Because knowledge is power, and once moms know their status, they can work with their healthcare providers to prevent transmission to the baby.

This legislation has nearly eliminated the possibility of babies in Illinois being born with HIV. Find out more about the work we do at our website: https://motherandchildalliance.org/

02/25/2026

Public health journalist Jeneen Interlandi writes about the devastating impact that federal funding cuts have had on HIV research and organizations — and the heroic efforts of scientists and activists in Chicago to keep hope alive and protect progress toward eliminating HIV. (Gift link.)

The ripple effects of cutting H.I.V. research funding.

02/23/2026

For , we’d like to honor the legacy of Alice Augusta Ball, the brilliant African American scientist born in 1892 whose research led directly to the first effective treatment for Hansen’s disease, better known as leprosy.

Ball’s groundbreaking accomplishment is even more remarkable when you consider that she passed away at the young age of 24.

Her career got off to a promising start. During her undergraduate studies at the University of Washington, she became one of the first African American women to be published in a major scientific journal.

From there, Ball earned a scholarship to the College of Hawaii, where in 1915 she became the first woman and first African American to earn a master’s in chemistry. She was then appointed as the college’s first female chemistry instructor.

After she was contacted for help by a surgeon who worked with leprosy patients, Ball began studying a traditional treatment for leprosy involving oil from the seeds of the chaulmoogra tree.

Chaulmoogra oil had previously shown potential for helping leprosy patients, but its results were unreliable and it was difficult to administer safely—causing side effects like nausea and painful lesions under the skin.

In an impressive breakthrough, Ball developed a method for modifying the active compounds of chaulmoogra oil into a water-soluble solution that could be injected safely, minimizing side effects while greatly alleviating pain for patients.

This innovation eventually came to be known as “the Ball Method,” and it was so effective that by 1920, health authorities reported that many patients who received the treatment were able to return home instead of having to remain in quarantine for the rest of their lives.

For more than two decades, the Ball Method was the standard treatment for leprosy. While not a complete cure, it was the only effective treatment available until the 1940s. Today, the Ball method has been replaced by modern multidrug therapy, but it was a pivotal development in the treatment of leprosy.

Tragically, Ball didn’t live long enough to publish her findings or see the results of her work. She died in 1916 after accidentally suffering chlorine poisoning while teaching in her laboratory.

As an added injustice, Ball was denied recognition for her achievement for several decades. After she died, her graduate advisor, who had access to her research, published the findings without acknowledging Ball or giving her credit.

It wasn’t until the 1970s that professors at the University of Hawaii found records of Ball’s research, realized that she’d been unjustly overlooked, and made sure that she was finally recognized for her work.

In 2000, the University of Hawaii honored Ball by dedicating a plaque to her on the school's only chaulmoogra tree, and in 2007 its Board of Regents awarded her the school’s highest honor, the Medal of Distinction. A scholarship has also been established in her name.

In 2022, Hawaii’s governor signed a proclamation declaring February 28 as "Alice Augusta Ball Day."

You can read more about Alice Ball’s life and work on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Ball

🖊️ A tip of the pen to author and musician Patti Smith, who shared the story of Alice Ball during a 2022 City Arts & Lectures podcast with writer Michael Chabon in San Francisco.

02/20/2026

We’re excited to spotlight Laurie Ayala, MPH! As the administrator of our 24/7 Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline and Perinatal Syphilis Warmline, Laurie leads a team of Northwestern clinical experts who provide rapid healthcare guidance across Illinois, handling about 400 calls each year.

For more than 20 years, Laurie has helped lead efforts to eliminate perinatal HIV in Illinois — work that’s been recognized nationally by the CDC and shared through publications and conferences.

Throughout Laurie’s career, she’s been dedicated to the prevention of infectious disease, especially in underserved communities.

Reflecting on the first warmline call, Laurie says: “Building the warmline was a real challenge, but also a joy. When that first call came in, it felt rewarding. We had a vision, and I was personally committed to making it happen.”

Laurie’s expertise supports MACA’s crucial efforts in perinatal HIV and congenital syphilis prevention — which include working closely with medical and social service providers, and ensuring that pregnant people living with HIV are linked to care.

Thank you, Laurie, for everything you continue to do to help advance maternal and child health!

02/18/2026

February is International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month! Helping to prevent prenatal infections is a key part of MACA’s mission all year round. But this month is a great opportunity to put some extra focus on education and awareness.

Some of the most common prenatal infections include group B strep (GBS) disease, congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), fifth disease, chlamydia, gonorrhea, listeriosis, toxoplasmosis, and Zika virus disease. It’s never too early for expectant moms to learn the basics of prevention!

Find out more on the website for Group B Strep International at gbs-intl.org/february-is-international-prenatal-infection-awareness-month

02/16/2026

For , Atlas Obscura shared this story about the little-known history of World War II’s all-black, all-female battalion.

“During World War II, sending and receiving mail was a lifeline for soldiers and the only way to stay connected to the loved ones they left behind.

“The task of sifting through growing stacks of letters and packages—some of which had been mailed years before—was given to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas during the war.

“‘Six Triple Eight’ was expected to sort through 7 million pieces of mail over the course of six months, but they finished the job in only three.”

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion helped connect soldiers on the front lines with their families back home.