Saving Lives & Building Hope,
One Caring Act at a Time

Who is Liam?

Anna Calix brought Gifts from Liam to life in 2017 in honor of her first son, Liam Angel. What began as a journey of healing and giving away Liam’s diapers and other items to babies in need, quickly transformed into something bigger.

In an effort to fight diaper insecurity and to honor Liam’s 1st birthday, Liam’s family hosted GFL’s first Diaper Drive and collected 20,000 diapers and other supplies. Since then, GFL has collected and distributed over 200,000 diapers, wipes, and other baby supplies as well as a Cuddle Cot to support bereaved families. Eventually, this Cuddle Cot was donated to Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, a level three hospital with a high volume of annual deliveries. We are proud to have been able to help give families the gift of cherished time with their stillborn babies.

Diaper assistance programs are sustained entirely by in-kind donations collected through diaper drives and partner locations called Diaper Depots. Donations are then distributed strategically and equitably through partner organizations in underserved, majority-BIPOC communities throughout Chicago’s South Side, West Side, and South Suburbs.

Meet Founder & Executive Director, Anna Calix, MPH

Anna Calix has not only the personal experience necessary to initiate an organization like GFL, she also has the background, passion, and qualifications to turn a dream into brighter shared futures. If you have a family with young children, or are looking for hope and guidance after losing a baby, Anna understands your journey and has built a community to support you.

Anna earned a Public Health Management Certificate and Master’s in Public Health(MPH) from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anna brought a strategic and community-focused approach to address the diaper needs of underserved communities on Chicago’s South and West sides and South Suburbs. Recognizing that families in the Diaper Gap also fall in other gaps, GFL includes educational information on safe pregnancy and infancy in each diaper package.

As a native Spanish speaker working in perinatal care, Anna naturally fell into a role of serving as a support person for fellow bereaved parents, especially Spanish speakers and BIPOC individuals. Over the years this has evolved to include individual and group bereavement support for marginalized populations and training for providers.

Anna’s story is one of resilience, compassion, and community engagement. Her dedication to alleviating the #DiaperGap and supporting bereaved families through Gifts from Liam serves as a testament to the transformative power of love and community action.