What began as a mother’s effort to share her late son’s unused diapers has become a critical resource for families across Park Forest and surrounding communities struggling with diaper insecurity.
In 2017, Anna Calix, founder and executive director of Gifts from Liam, launched the organization in honor of her son, Liam Angel. What started with a single diaper drive on his first birthday — drawing 20,000 diapers and other supplies — has grown into a sustained community program distributing hundreds of thousands of diapers, wipes, and other essentials through local partners.
Calix, who holds a master’s degree in public health from the University of Illinois at Chicago, said the early work was rooted in her personal experience with bereavement and her professional background in perinatal care. She recognized that many families lacked access not only to basic necessities but also to education and resources that support safe pregnancies and healthy early childhood development.
“Families shouldn’t have to choose between diapers and food,” Calix said. “But rising costs and limited income are forcing too many parents into that position.”
The organization’s diaper assistance program — sustained entirely by in-kind donations — has seen demand outpace donations in recent years.
Data from Gifts from Liam show that from June to September of 2025, 91 children were served at the Park Forest distribution site alone, with 37 separate diaper pickups across that period. Requests have come from 54 zip codes, though 86% remain within the 604 zip code region, including Park Forest and neighboring communities.
Locally, 76% of families receiving diapers report having two or more children in diapers, and 79% report annual household incomes of less than $35,000. Fifteen percent report incomes under $20,000. In Park Forest, 77% of those served identify as people of color, with 56% identifying as Black and 18% Latino.
Across south suburban Cook County, approximately 6% of the population is age 5 or younger — translating to more than 27,000 children under 5. Calix noted that children are also remaining in diapers longer than in previous generations, increasing the financial burden on families.
Nationally, one in two families report struggling to afford enough diapers for their children, up from one in three families when the organization began in 2017. Calix attributed increased demand locally to inflation, stagnant wages, and interruptions in benefits such as SNAP.
“When food assistance was paused, we saw requests spike because families had to make choices about where to spend limited funds,” Calix said.
Despite the growing need, donations have declined. During a recent diaper drive for Diaper Need Awareness Week, the organization's primary source of donations, the organization collected approximately 10,000 diapers — about half the amount collected during the organization’s first drive in 2017 — even as distribution volume has grown tenfold.
Community support remains critical. During the most recent Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in Richton Park, more than 125 volunteers packaged over 25,000 diapers and pull-ups in just a few hours.
Calix said the organization strives to distribute diapers in a dignified manner and includes educational materials in each package to support parents and caregivers.
Residents and businesses can support the effort by donating diapers or pull-ups of any size, making a monetary contribution, hosting a diaper donation drive, volunteering time, or spreading awareness about diaper need in the community.
Calix emphasized that every contribution makes a difference.
“This is about dignity for families and giving parents the space to focus on what matters most — their children’s health and well-being,” Calix said.