Big things are happening in our community - and they’re rooted in connection, inclusion, and heart.
Recently, local mom and co-founder Ali Barnum, MA, LCPC, NCC, was recognized as part of the Remarkable Women initiative and featured on WGN-TV. The segment highlighted the mission behind Limb Difference Collective Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to support families navigating the limb difference journey.
What began as lived experience has grown into a movement focused on making sure no parent walks this journey alone.
Note: Limb Difference Collective Foundation was co-founded by Kari Treat, publisher of Macaroni KID Schaumburg.
How It All Started
After hosting their first Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month (LLLDAM) zoo meet-up, co-founders Ali Barnum and Kari Treat saw the immediate impact of simply bringing families together. Parents connected. Kids met others who looked like them. Conversations flowed. Community formed.
That single event sparked something bigger.
In 2024, they launched the Parenting Children with Limb Differences Podcast to create a space for open, honest conversations and shared experiences. As interest and community engagement grew, they formally established Limb Difference Collective Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2025 to sustain meet-ups, expand outreach, and introduce programs like Hugs-in-a-Box care packages for newly connected families exploring information of their child's disability.
Why Visibility Matters
Being featured on WGN-TV brings awareness to something many families experience quietly. Limb differences and more disabilities affect children and adults across every community, yet families often struggle to find connection, resources, and representation.
Moments like this help change that.
Because of this recognition, Barnum will travel to Nashville to stand alongside other honorees from across the country - helping bring national visibility to limb difference families and the importance of inclusive community support.
How Local Families Can Get Involved
Limb Difference Collective Foundation hosts meet-ups, shares resources, supports awareness initiatives, and builds spaces where children and parents feel seen and understood.
Whether you are a family navigating a limb difference, a community member who wants to learn more, or a business interested in supporting inclusive initiatives, there are ways to connect.
Learn more at:
https://limbdifferencecollective.org/remarkable
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