Mother and Child Alliance

12/26/2025

Year in review, part one! 2025 was MACA’s 25th anniversary, and we had another high-energy year for events where we broke a sweat to raise funds for keeping moms and babies healthy. In September, Team MACA turned out in force for AIDS Run & Walk Chicago on a gloriously sunny day, and raised more than $4,500!

Back in May, our perinatal analyst Evelyn Hermoza organized a Zumbathon with her fellow Zumba instructor Sarah that raised more than $250 for our Dolores Benton Fund—which provides emergency support for the families we serve!

And as always, our exec director Anne Statton participated in a slew of events to raise funds for MACA and other worthy causes throughout the year, including the Stan’s Donut Run, Bike the Drive, Cinco de Miler, the Chicago Triathlon, and too many others to list in a single post!

Here in the present, our end-of-year fundraiser is going strong! We’re seeking to raise $7,500 so we can keep providing life-changing support to moms with HIV and their families, in 2026 and beyond.

Can you help us meet our goal? Donate any amount here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/year-end-giving-for-maca-families

12/23/2025

This time of year can be especially tough for moms with HIV. The holidays add to the stress of providing essentials like food and clothing for their families. This is where you can help. Year-end gifts to MACA help us support moms and make sure they can embrace the season with dignity and joy.

The good news is that thanks to amazing supporters like you, so far we’ve raised almost 20% of our $7,500 goal for our end-of-year fundraiser. But we still have a way to go. Can you help us close the gap so we can ring in a brighter new year for MACA moms in 2026?

Your end-of-year gift to MACA can provide:

🍼 Critical supplies like diapers, formula, clothing, and food for families in need.
🌟 Access to education and resources that empower mothers to build stronger futures.
💕 Safe and nurturing environments for children to grow and flourish.

Every dollar makes a difference. Let’s make the holidays a little brighter for those who need it most!

🎁 Donate to our fundraiser here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/year-end-giving-for-maca-families

12/19/2025

Here’s some fantastic news. UNAIDS writes: “Great news! Brazil has received World Health Organization certification for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV & syphilis. UNAIDS congratulates Brazil on this milestone, driven by universal health care, protection of human rights & adequate and fair access to medicines.”

At MACA, we’re joining in with UNAIDS to congratulate Brazil on this impressive achievement. This is a call to action for the United States, as well as countries around the world, to reach this goal as well.

Read the full news release here:
https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2025/december/20251218_emtct

12/17/2025

Something that always helps light up the holiday season for us is hearing from the wonderful folks at the Albert Pick Jr, Fund. This year the Pick Fund has once again awarded MACA a generous grant to help us keep our lights on and our doors open, so we can continue helping moms and babies stay healthy throughout Illinois.

The Albert Pick, Jr. Fund has been helping Chicagoans in need for more than 75 years! The fund was established in 1947 to provide disadvantaged Chicago residents with the tools they need to improve their lives. Mr. Pick was a businessman who started a chain that eventually grew to include 15 hotels. He and his wife Corinne were avid philanthropists, giving back to Chicago in all kinds of ways.

Want to help power our work? Consider making an end-of-the-year donation to MACA to ring in the new year and keep our lights on in 2026. Donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/year-end-giving-for-maca-families

Credit for archival photo at left: University of Chicago Photographic Archive, apf1-06800, Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

12/15/2025

As 2025 draws to a close, we’ve set a goal to raise $7,500 by the end of the year. We’ve mentioned previously that MACA has been facing some serious funding cuts. We’re counting on you, the heroic supporters who empower MACA’s work, to stand with us and make sure that our work can continue without interruption.

You can be part of our 25-year success story of making sure that babies are born free of HIV and other perinatal infections, and that moms with HIV have the support they need to keep themselves and their babies healthy, throughout Illinois.

If you believe in MACA’s mission — if you’ve ever supported our work in the past, or simply want to keep our programs strong for 2026 and beyond, now is the *perfect* time to show your support and let us know you have our backs. We’re so grateful to everyone who makes this work possible!

Donate to our End-of-Year fundraiser here ...

Mother & Child Alliance (MACA) works to reinforce a strong safety net during and after pregnancy for pregnant people, new parents, and their babies. We focus on preventing HIV and other serious, costly pediatric infections by strengthening prenatal and postpartum systems of care.Through comprehe...

12/13/2025

This week MACA honored Laurie Ayala with an award for 20 years of dedicated leadership! Laurie is the administrator of our 24/7 Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline and Perinatal Syphilis Warmline — shown here on the left, with her supervisor Daniell Ashford on the right.

We're so grateful to have Laurie and all of her spectacular talents on our team!

12/10/2025

Dear Santa: There are lots of good little babies and toddlers on our list this year, whose moms are living with HIV and could use some extra love & support to make it through the holiday season. Key essentials like diapers, car seats, pack n' plays, rompers, and new baby supplies can make a big difference.

Any secret Santas out there who'd like to help spread some holiday cheer to families in need can find our Amazon wish list here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1QBU8BI1U4V1U

12/08/2025

A head start on the holiday season, with a fundraiser for a worthy Claus! This past weekend our exec director Anne Statton participated in the Chicago Santa Hustle Race Series along with family members and friends.

The Santa Hustle event benefits Cal's Angels, the pediatric cancer foundation with a mission of granting wishes, raising awareness, and funding research to help kids who are fighting cancer.

12/05/2025

Earlier this week we were thrilled to attend the Grants Reception for DIFFA/Chicago - Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS/Chicago, where Mother and Child Alliance was presented with our DIFFA Excellence in Care Award for 2025!

Pictured are our exec director Anne Statton and board member LeSherri James — accompanied by our development manager Tom Worhach, who snapped this photo.

We’re always so honored to receive this award, and so grateful to DIFFA/Chicago for the amazing work they do. DIFFA/Chicago’s grants provide support to programs and activities that reflect a unique or innovative approach to addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS in the Chicagoland area, and whose programs align with Get To Zero Illinois.

Thanks as always to everyone at DIFFA for making a DIFFA-rence! 💖

12/02/2025

We’d like to take a “paws” for this special message in support of our campaign, from Anne’s feline friend Scout and Iyesha’s doggo Cookie!

We’re so grateful to everyone who’s already donated to help keep moms and babies healthy. And if you’d like to chip in, there’s still time! Here’s the link: https://givemaca.givevirtuous.org/Donate

12/02/2025

Our campaign is going strong! Sukhu Randhawa, who is one of MACA’s past perinatal analysts and is now our newest board member, shares why she’s a MACA supporter.

We hope you’ll join Sukhu by choosing to support MACA! Every donation makes a difference, no matter how large or small. Help keep moms and babies healthy across Illinois by donating here: https://givemaca.givevirtuous.org/Donate

12/02/2025

This is Izzy, the three-year-old son of our colleague Denise. His joy, energy, and bright smile remind us what every child deserves: a healthy start and the opportunity to thrive. Families across Illinois rely on MACA for the support they need during pregnancy and after birth.

For , we invite you to join us in lifting up families like Denise and Izzy’s. Your gift directly supports healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, and strong beginnings for parents and babies. Every donation strengthens the safety net that so many families depend on.

No gift is too small to help, whether $5, $50 or $500. You can make a difference in the lives of MACA moms by donating here at any time: https://givemaca.givevirtuous.org/Donate