Little Giraffe Foundation Co-Founder Amanda Santoro recently joined WBEZ Chicago to discuss Illinois' new NICU leave law and the impact it will have on families with hospitalized newborns. During the conversation, she reflected on her own NICU journey and highlighted the foundation's ongoing work to support parents during extended hospital stays.

Join the Little Giraffe Foundation on Sunday, August 9, 2026 for Miles for Miracles, a community cross country race supporting life-saving research and care for premature babies. Whether you run, walk, or cheer from the sidelines, every mile helps make a difference. Register today and help turn miles into miracles.

This spring, Little Giraffe Foundation delivered nearly 600 gift bags to NICU families, offering comfort, encouragement, and a reminder that they are not alone during an incredibly difficult time. Thanks to the support of our community, we’re able to continue bringing hope and care to families across our partner hospitals, one family at a time. 💜🌸

Our 5th Annual Night for the NICU was an especially meaningful evening as we celebrated 15 years of the Little Giraffe Foundation, founded in honor of our daughter, Cheyenne, whom we lost after she was born three months premature. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, the event raised more than $25,000 to continue supporting NICU families and neonatal care initiatives.

The Little Giraffe Foundation spent February spreading love to NICU families across Illinois with our annual Valentine’s Day donation program. Thanks to the incredible support of our volunteers, hospital staff, and donors, we delivered 592 Valentine’s Day gift bags to families at 21 partner hospitals.

Grab a splash of purple and join us on Saturday, April 25 for the 5th Annual Night for the NICU: Casino Royale at Tree House Chicago as we celebrate 15 years of supporting NICU families and funding lifesaving neonatal research. Tickets are on sale now on Eventbrite!

This Thanksgiving, the Little Giraffe Foundation brought 585 gifts to NICU families across Chicagoland and at our new partner hospital in Florida. With this delivery we reached a very special milestone: we’ve now supported more than 35,000 NICU families since we started the foundation. Click to see pictures of a delivery we're very thankful to have made.

Little Giraffe Foundation donates a total of $25,900 in grant funding to 26 medical institutions and nonprofit organizations to support NICU patients and their families.

This past weekend, the Little Giraffe Foundation proudly cheered on our running team at the Christmas in July Half Marathon, where they combined endurance, teamwork, and generosity to make a real difference for NICU families. Thanks to the dedication of our runners and the generosity of 58 donors, the team raised an amazing $3,530.

This Independence Day, the Little Giraffe Foundation had the privilege of spreading joy and comfort to families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) across Chicagoland. Our incredible volunteers delivered hundreds of gift bags, each filled with a book for parents to read to their baby and a small toy to brighten their hospital stay.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made our 4th Annual Night for the NICU another incredible success! With around 100 attendees joining us for the evening, we’re thrilled to share that we raised nearly $40,000 to support NICU patients and their families!

As Little Giraffe Foundation prepares for its signature Night for the NICU gala, B96's Rebecca Ortiz featured the organization and co-founder Mike Santoro on Chicago Connection. Listen in to hear how the organization was started, the work we do in the community and how you can get involved.

Limited tickets still available: 4th Annual Night for the NICU

This Valentine’s Day, the Little Giraffe Foundation is thrilled to spread love and joy with our special delivery of over 500 gift bags to 21 Chicagoland NICUs. Each bag is filled with a classic children's book, including favorites like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," along with a toy, bringing smiles and comfort to families during their stay. Our mission is to provide moments of joy and connection, especially during this heartfelt season. We hope these gifts brighten the hearts of patients and their families. Enjoy the moments captured as our incredible volunteers make these special deliveries!

We’re in the midst of our busy season for hospital deliveries with our packages of hope being delivered for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then our final end of the year delivery. This Thanksgiving we delivered over 600 books and toys to patients and their families in the NICU. Our favorite book to deliver this time of the year is Give Thanks for Each Day, a positive connection to the holiday and a good reminder for those struggling in the NICU. Enjoy the photos!

Our biggest event of the year has been scheduled for Saturday, April 26. Grab a splash of purple and join us as Little Giraffe Foundation presents Casino Royale: Night for the NICU! Proceeds from this event will directly benefit families with babies in Chicagoland neonatal intensive care units.

In honor of World Prematurity Day, Little Giraffe Foundation is proud to announce the 21 recipients of the foundation’s 2024 NICU Support Grants. The nonprofit will be donating a total of $20,189 in grant money to 21 medical institutions and non-profit organizations to support NICU patients and their families.

Little Giraffe Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families with premature babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), proudly announces the delivery of its 30,000th gift bag to NICU families. This significant milestone, achieved over the past 13 years, would not have been possible without the dedication of the organization's volunteers.

As summer arrives, many families are still struggling in the NICU. Thanks to our volunteers, 580 gift bags were delivered to hospitals across the Chicagoland area. Gift bags included a small toy and a book to read such as Goodnight Moon or Guess How Much I Love You. We hope all the little firecrackers and their families enjoyed the gifts for the Fourth of July! Click to see the photos from our July donation.

A big thanks go out to the Little Giraffe Foundation board, volunteers, and all their guests for making last week's 3rd Annual Night for the NICU our most successful fundraising event to date. The event helped raise for more than $35,000 for patents and their families in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Proceeds will directly go to our gift bag programs (six times each year) as well as our NICU Support Grant and Medical Research Grants which will be decided in our fall board meeting.

Co-founder Mike Santoro shared the story of Little Giraffe Foundation today on WGN’s Spotlight Chicago. Hosts Sarah Jindra and Ji Suk Yi covered why we started the foundation, what we do, and how viewers can help.