March for Babies


 

Chicago

Raised to date
$326,722
Our goal $530,000
 
Montrose Harbor - Grove 16
400 West Montrose Harbor Drive , Chicago, IL 60640
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025 9:00 AM
 
Date: April 27, 2025
Event Time: 09:00 AM
Registration Time: 7:00AM
Location:
400 West Montrose Harbor Drive , Chicago, IL 60640
Montrose Harbor - Grove 16

Important Update

Our March for Babies celebration is still on, but it looks a little different! We are rapidly preparing for a new, virtualized event that will be fun and engaging for everyone. This change in format aligns with the newly released CDC guidance for large events, to help ensure the safety and health of our participants. More details on our new format to come soon!

 
 
 
 
About March for Babies

Make change happen for families! March for Babies connects you with friends, families, and coworkers to improve the health of moms and babies in your community and across the country. Because together with March of Dimes, each step forward leads to a healthy future for us all.

 

LOYALTY & RECOGNITION PROGRAM

Did you know that you can qualify for fundraising incentives? Anyone who raises a minimum of $100 will receive a 2025 March for Babies t-shirt! We also have exciting incentives people who reach the $300, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000+ thresholds. To learn more about the program and incentives that are available, click here. The deadline to qualify is June 30th.

 

To view photos from last year's Chicago March for Babies event CLICK HERE!

 

Start or join an existing team today, create an online fundraising page and let everyone know that you’re helping to make America a more equitable place and ensure that every mom and baby is healthy. Every step counts.

 

 

EVENT DETAILS
Sunday, April 27th 2025
Site opens at 7:00 AM
Stage program begins at 8:45 AM
Walk step-off at 9:00 AM (tentative start time - walk will be about 3 miles)

Super Hero Sprint at 10:30 AM

 

PARKING: FREE PARKING will be available steps away from the event along Montrose Avenue and along North Simonds Drive. If you type "Grove 16 - Montrose Harbor" into your map application it will take you to the parking area. You can't miss it!

 

About the local event

 

For more information, contact Sarah Milani at [email protected] or 312-909-0468

 

Event progress* $326,722 RAISED (As of Thursday, Apr 24, 2025)

Raised: $326,722

 
Top fundraisers
 
1
Pat Kernan
$26,027
2
Kelly Pernick
$20,189
3
Jason Pagnotta
$12,600
4
Jennifer Kernan
$11,876
5
Lisa Brey
$8,920
Top family teams
 
1
Team Kernan
$50,414
2
Sunflower Squad - In Loving Memory of Joslyn Reed
$22,611
3
Team Kelly Pernick
$22,103
4
Knapstein
$16,703
5
Pagnotta Family
$12,600
Company, School & Org
 
1
NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE - PRENTICE
$36,261
2
ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY - IL
$15,669
3
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS - IL
$14,492
4
ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$9,436
5
ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC HOSPITAL
$8,623
 
 
*The total amount displayed reflects the amount on the team or personal fundraising progress bar. If the progress bar is not displayed on the team or personal page, the team/person won't be displayed on the leaderboard. Leaderboard totals reflect cash and checks marked "received" on the online sponsor form as well as credit card and PayPal donations. Team captains can enter as cash and mark "received" any money raised through promotions, such as bake sales and casual days and any sponsorship money paid to the March of Dimes, on their team's online form. Record all donations on your online sponsor form before you turn in cash and checks to the March of Dimes!
 

2025 Ambassador Family

 

 

The Reed Family

On August 2, 2022, Ian and Joslyn Reed welcomed their daughter, Coen James "Coco" Reed, into the world five weeks early. Their joy was short-lived when Joslyn experienced complications that quickly became life-threatening. She suffered an amniotic fluid embolism, a rare and severe birth complication that triggered a cascade of medical crises. Doctors fought tirelessly to save her, performing multiple surgeries as they worked to stop her bleeding. Despite every effort, Joslyn tragically passed away on August 6, 2022, at the age of 38, leaving behind her husband Ian, their newborn daughter Coco, and big sister, Zoey. As Ian and his family grieved the unimaginable loss of Joslyn, Coco began her own fight for survival. Born prematurely, she spent 18 days in the NICU at Lurie Children’s Hospital where she required specialized interventions, including fetal surgery to repair a bubble in her lung. From the moment she was born, she was surrounded by a team of doctors and nurses who ensured she had the best possible start despite arriving earlier than expected. Coco’s journey is a powerful reminder of how critical NICU care is for premature babies and why organizations like March of Dimes are vital in ensuring that every baby has a fighting chance. Now, Ian and his daughters, Coco and Zoey, are stepping forward as the 2025 Chicago March for Babies Ambassador Family. They are sharing their story to honor Joslyn’s legacy and to advocate for better maternal and infant health. Their journey is one of profound loss but also of resilience and hope—a reminder that every mother and baby deserves access to life-saving medical care and support. Through their advocacy, Ian and his daughters hope to raise awareness about the urgent need for improved maternal health care, ensuring that fewer families face the heartbreak they have endured and that more babies, like Coco, have the opportunity to thrive. Visit the "Team Sunflower Squad" page to learn more or donate to their team!

 
RESOURCES
Loyalty & Recogntition Program
Download
 

National partners

Publix Logo Gerber Logo HCA Healthcare Logo

Thank you to our local sponsors

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