Association of Horizon is a non-profit organization in Chicago that provides opportunities for adults with and without physical disabilities to empower and enrich each other’s lives through lifelong friendships and recreation. Horizon’s flagship program is a week-long summer camp. The program pairs campers 18 and older with physical disabilities with a volunteer who helps them experience a range of adapted sports and other activities. Horizon also offers a weekly Zoom hangout, in-person events throughout the year and an annual Horizon Hope Grant.

For more information, contact the Association of Horizon at (773) 477-5170 or horizon@associationofhorizon.org.

Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) in Lake Forest, Ill., offers programs for individuals ages 3 and up with physical or visual disabilities, such as amputation, cerebral palsy, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, spina bifida, stroke, visual impairment and more. GLASA offers more than 20 adaptive sports. Programs are adapted to meet the needs of individuals who use manual or power wheelchairs and other ambulatory disabilities. GLASA also offers an Ability Awareness Program for schools and community groups to help students participate, compete and thrive.

A GLASA membership is required to participate in GLASA’s weekly programs and access the anytime equipment lending program. Scholarships are available. GLASA will never turn anyone away due to financial hardship. Please contact Cindy Housner at chousner@glasa.org or (847) 283-0908 to request a scholarship or one free month of membership.

GLASA membership includes an anytime equipment lending program and information to help athletes stay up to date on programs.

FACES: The National Craniofacial Association is a voluntary, non-profit organization providing information, support and services, and financial assistance for medically necessary travel to children and adults throughout the United States with severe craniofacial anomalies resulting from birth defects, injuries or disease.

FACES financial assistance includes help with transportation costs, lodging, meals, toll fees, taxi/Uber fares, airfare, and, in some circumstances, rental cars. There are maximum limits per trip. Its application process looks at the whole picture, not just the numbers.

For any questions, please email Kim at kim@faces-cranio.org or call (800) 332-2373.

Birth to Five Illinois is a network of action and parent councils working to improve access to high-quality, sustainable Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services statewide. Birth to Five listens to families’ needs and helps them learn about and connect with local services. It also helps communities statewide build and sustain inclusive, high-quality Early Childhood services for all children and families.

Birth to Five Illinois has 39 regions throughout the state. Each region has its own Family Council and Action Council. Early Intervention (EI) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) are critical parts of the ECEC system of support for children and families. Learn more about the councils, see the regional map and sign up for the Birth to Five Illinois newsletter.

 

The Community Resource Desk at the Carbondale Public Library offers community residents information, referrals and help navigating and connecting with local programs and resources. Residents can get help with services such as utilities and housing assistance, employment support, transportation and obtaining essential documents.

The Community Resource Desk at the Carbondale Public Library is open Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more details, please see the Community Resource Desk flyer.

The library also provides social work and community assistance resources online, including the Carbondale Area Resource Guide and FindHelp Southern Illinois.

Suburban Access, Inc. is an independent service coordination and advocacy agency that links children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to life-enhancing services, programs, experiences and personal supports to empower them to live life without limits. Suburban Access offers a variety of programs to help people with intellectual disabilities overcome barriers and advance their independence, learning and community connections.

Suburban Access has locations in Homewood and Hillside. It serves south and west suburban Cook County. For more information, call (708) 799-9190.

The non-profit iCan Dream Center in Tinley Park connects youth with intellectual disabilities, autism and various learning difficulties in suburban Chicago to holistic, innovative special education services. The center offers a welcoming education setting where neurodiverse youth have access to the skills, resources and opportunities necessary to thrive beyond their labels. iCan Dream Center programs include:

• Training
• Transition to adulthood support
• After-school recreational therapeutic programming for youth
• Once a month, cost-free Saturday Experiences for young adults
• Counseling
• Parent support group and more

For questions, please contact the iCan Dream Center at info@icandreamcenter.com or (708) 798-4200.

Hunter’s Hope Foundation offers information and programs to support the care of a loved one with leukodystrophy and other disabilities. It provides support for finding care, information on living with leukodystrophy, and programs to help families provide the equipment their children need.

Family help and support includes:

• Beau’s Blessings care package for parents with children in the intensive care unit or neonatal intensive care unit
• Hunter’s Wish Gift helps families facing extreme financial stress due to the costs of caring for a child with leukodystrophy
• Morgan’s Legacy Gift provides quality-of-life gifts to children living with any type of lifelong disability
• A Resource Library for affected families, medical professionals and others in the leukodystrophy community

If you have any questions, please contact Hunter’s Hope Foundation at info@huntershope.org or (716) 667-1200.

Equip for Equality provides information to help parents and caregivers understand special education rights in Illinois and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements. Printable guides in a frequently asked questions format are available on a wide range of topics. The individualized education program (IEP) guide walks caregivers through understanding what it is, why it’s helpful, and how and when to get one for your child.

The Air Care Alliance (ACA) is an umbrella group that supports Volunteer Pilot Organizations (VPOs) nationwide. ACA’s website offers a starting point for families and individuals needing free air transportation for medical care or other supportive services. ACA connects people to the resources they need; it does not provide flights directly.

Learn more about ACA flight requirements and start the flight request process.

VPOs are not air ambulances and do not provide any medical support on board.