24/7 Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline

08/24/2026

Big cheers for our exec director Anne Statton, who successfully completed this year’s SuperTri with TEAM TO END AIDS (T2 CHICAGO). Anne did both the SuperSprint on Saturday and the Sprint distance on Sunday.

Anne says, “I’m exhausted even after 9 hours of sleep! Saturday was a tough swim with 3-ft waves at Foster beach. Sunday was a rough run as the heat and humidity picked up.

“However, both were glorious sunny days filled with smiling faces and more than 7,000 happy athletes crossing the finish line.”

There’s still time to donate to Anne’s campaign and celebrate her crushing another triathlon! Contributions will help power MACA’s programs to support moms with HIV while protecting newborns from perinatal transmission.

Chip in to Anne’s 2026 Chicago Triathlon campaign here:
https://action.aidschicago.org/fundraiser/7135894

08/21/2026

Some Illinois families and individuals have recently lost access to SNAP benefits because of new federal work requirements.

If you or your family lost SNAP benefits, it’s possible that you may be able to file an exemption. The State of Illinois’s ABE site has a portal where you can check: https://aberp.illinois.gov/screener/ABAWD?lang=EN

For those who aren’t exempt, Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) notes that customers can regain eligibility and meet the new work requirements by working, volunteering, or participating in a training or education program.

Find out more: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=177800

If you need help with applying for an exemption or filing an appeal, you can also contact Legal Aid Chicago at https://legalaidchicago.org

08/19/2026

This year’s is just a few days away! Our exec director Anne Statton has been training hard all year, raising funds for various causes along the way. This Sunday, August 23, is the biggie: Anne will be raising funds for MACA as part of TEAM TO END AIDS (T2 CHICAGO).

Anne writes: “I'm racing to change the story of women with HIV in our neighborhoods and our nation. Did you know that we can prevent transmission of HIV to infants in almost 100% of cases? But to do that we need to prioritize the health of the mother as well as the baby.

“That means we need to make sure that moms with HIV get tested so they know their status, and then get connected to the expert care and support they need to protect their own health as well as the health of their baby.”

Your donations help support this life-changing work that MACA has been doing for more than 26 years now. Can you chip in to help Anne cross the finish line?

Donate to Anne’s 2026 Chicago Triathlon campaign here:
https://action.aidschicago.org/fundraiser/7135894

08/17/2026

In honor of (August 17), we’re giving a shout-out to three of our fellow Illinois nonprofits whose work and missions we admire. We salute all of the hardworking nonprofits who do what they do to make the world a better place, every day!

• The Chicago Center for HIV Elimination (CCHE) is a research & service center dedicated to serving the Black sexual- and gender-diverse communities on Chicago’s South side. Associated with UChicago Medicine, its mission is to eliminate HIV transmission in Chicago by 2041. https://www.hivelimination.uchicago.edu/

• Life Is Work Resource Center is a trans-led organization that educates, empowers, and organizes TLGBQ+ people from diverse backgrounds to secure safety, wellness, and justice for all. Its programs include case management, workforce development training, HIV testing/linkage, a food pantry, and much more. https://lifeiswork.org/

• Chicago House has been supporting individuals and families impacted by HIV with housing, health, and employment services for more than 40 years now — since 1985! Its comprehensive and affirming support empowers people to lead healthy and dignified lives. https://www.chicagohouse.org/

At Mother and Child Alliance, we've been an official nonprofit for more than two decades now, since we were incorporated in March 2002. We love being a mission-driven organization that’s dedicated to helping others and serving our community. (Pictured at upper left: MACA staff at our 25th Anniversary Celebration last year.)

08/14/2026

Women and girls represent more than half of all people living with HIV across the globe. In the US, women account for approximately 1 in 4 people living with HIV and 1 in 5 new HIV acquisitions.

When it comes to HIV, it’s important to separate the truth from common misunderstandings and falsehoods—because those falsehoods lead to fear, denial, and stigma. All of which can result in people with HIV being discouraged from getting tested or seeking the care they need.

The truth is that HIV is a health condition that needs to be taken seriously—but it’s also true that there are medications that can help treat HIV and prevent transmission to others, and that people with HIV can live a long, full life.

Our friends at The Well Project recently shared this article that debunks some of the most common misunderstandings about HIV, and offers clear statements of fact to help dispel the fear and stigma.

Learn some basic realities about HIV – treatment, tests, transmission, and more – and help disrupt common myths about this health condition.

08/13/2026

Swimming to a cure! On Sunday, August 9 our exec director Anne Statton participated in A Long Swim, which raises funds for research into ALS (aka Lou Gehrig’s disease). Anne was joined by her sister Kersti and brother-in-law Bill for the event at Tower Road Beach in Winnetka.

One way that A Long Swim has supported collaborative ALS research is through funding a research fellowship at the Ozdinler ALS Research Lab at Northwestern School of Medicine in Chicago.

Anne is also continuing to train for this year's on August 23 with TEAM TO END AIDS (T2 CHICAGO) to raise funds for MACA. Donations to Anne’s Triathlon fundraiser will help power our programs to provide care and support for moms living with HIV, as well as our ongoing work to prevent congenital syphilis in newborns.

Want to help Anne cross the finish line? Sponsor Anne here: https://action.aidschicago.org/fundraiser/7135894

08/10/2026

Ending HIV depends on understanding a simple equation: U=U, which means “undetectable equals untransmittable.” HIV treatment saves lives and helps people with HIV stay healthy. When a person’s viral load is reduced to “undetectable,” that means HIV can’t be sexually transmitted to their partners.

This is how we can stop HIV in its tracks. But getting there means making sure that people with HIV have access to the medications they need, all around the world. That’s why the new global target of 40 million people on HIV treatment by 2030 is so important, as UNAIDS notes.

We need a serious commitment to prioritizing funding, treatment, and care for everyone who needs it, everywhere. We can put the HIV/AIDS era in the rearview mirror within our lifetimes, but it requires having the vision to understand that the well-being of all of us depends on the well-being of each of us.

08/07/2026

Every year we look forward to AIDS Run & Walk Chicago because it gives us a chance to bring the MACA family together and walk in solidarity for a larger purpose. This year’s event is less than two months away—but there’s still plenty of time to sign up if you’d like to walk, run, or roll with us.

The 2026 takes place Saturday, September 26 at Soldier Field. Funds raised by Team MACA will empower our programs to help make sure moms with HIV get the care and support they need, while preventing transmission of HIV to newborns.

To join our squad, make a donation, or find out more, visit https://action.aidschicago.org/team/831156

08/05/2026

August is National Immunization Awareness Month! Here are some key tips for moms during pregnancy:

• You have the power to protect yourself and your baby each pregnancy from serious diseases like whooping cough and flu.

• Ask your doctor or nurse about the vaccines you need during pregnancy.

• If you're pregnant, getting vaccinated can help protect your baby after birth by passing on antibodies. These antibodies can give your baby protection from flu and whooping cough until it's time for their own vaccines.

• A flu vaccine during any trimester of each pregnancy provides the best protection against flu for you, and can also protect your baby for the first several months after birth when they're too young to be vaccinated.

08/03/2026

Our executive director Anne Statton is continuing to train hard for this year’s . This past weekend she participated in the Naperville Sprint Triathlon with her nephew Patrick and brother-in-law Bill. It was Patrick’s second-ever triathlon!

In less than three weeks, Anne will be competing in the Chicago Triathlon on August 23 with TEAM TO END AIDS (T2 CHICAGO), to raise funds for Mother and Child Alliance.

Donations to Anne’s 2026 Chicago Triathlon campaign will be used to connect moms with HIV to the expert care and support they need to stay healthy themselves *and* protect the health of their babies.

Can you chip in to help Anne cross the finish line? Donate here:
https://action.aidschicago.org/fundraiser/7135894