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.

The ATI Foundation offers grant awards to individuals in need of assistance to live independent and fulfilling lives in their communities. Typical assistance includes funding for adaptive equipment, home modifications, therapies, specialized social and recreational programming, and medical-related costs. The foundation works with individuals to identify support options that make the most sense for their unique situation.

ATI Foundation also provides sponsorship support for like-minded nonprofit organizations. Learn more or apply for ATI Foundation’s  Individual Grant Awards and Sponsorship Support for Nonprofits.

For questions, please contact the ATI Foundation using the online contact form.

Mercy Medical Angels provides transportation assistance for a wide range of medical needs, including specialty consultations and second opinions, surgeries and surgical follow-ups, cardiac care and heart procedures, mental health treatment, diagnostic testing (MRI, CT scans and biopsies), and more. Transportation options for individuals and families with financial need can include a gas card for local appointments, a private pilot flight across state lines, or a commercial ticket for longer distances for one-time appointments and recurring treatments. The Mercy Medical Angels Team reviews applications to find the right solution for each situation.

Mercy Medical Angels travel requirements include:

• The travel is for medically necessary care or clinical trials
• You cannot afford the cost of travel on your own
• You’re able to travel without medical supervision (with or without a caregiver)
• You’re traveling 50-plus miles one way or totaling 100 or miles per month (ground) or 200-plus miles (air)
• Your appointment is scheduled within the next 45 days
• You are based in the United States and traveling to a U.S. facility

For more details, please reach out to Mercy Medical Angels.

SkyHope Patient Airlift Services (PALS) is a nonprofit that arranges free flights with volunteer pilots to help families and individuals needing access to critical medical care, diagnosis, rehabilitation services or follow-up care. It also arranges flights for family members to ensure patients have support during long-term medical or rehabilitation services. The SkyHope network of volunteer pilots provides free regional medical flights and receives no compensation. SkyHope does not provide any ground transportation.

Visit SkyHope’s website to see frequently asked questions and to request a flight.