FreeFood.org is a website where people can find and add free food resources locally and nationwide.

CommunicationFIRST advocates to ensure everyone has the support they need to express themselves effectively and be heard. Organization members include people of all ages with over two dozen known and unknown expressive communication-related conditions, congenital and developmental disabilities, and conditions acquired later in life. CommunicationFIRST resources include:

• “The Words We Use” style guide
• Tips for online meetings with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users, by AAC users
• The “See us. Hear us.” film series
• The AAC Counts Project

Legal Aid Chicago provides free legal assistance in civil cases to people living in Chicago and suburban Cook County with limited income or special legal needs. It focuses on helping in the following key areas:

• Family and safety –  where personal safety and financial stability are at risk
• House and apartment – protecting safe and affordable housing for tenants and homeowners
• Money and debt –  protecting income and assets from unfair collections and fraud
• Work and employment rights – protecting the rights and benefits of workers and reducing barriers to employment
• Health, disability and basic needs – accessing and protecting benefits for basic human needs
• Immigration – obtaining protected status for victims of crime, including U-visa, VAWA (for victims of domestic violence) and T-visa (for victims of human trafficking)

Camp Sunshine helps children with life-threatening illnesses and their families find hope, community and a safe space for recharging together. Located in Maine, the camp offers medical support and free, year-round camping sessions for children ages 21 and under, their siblings, parents and caregivers. Campers come from all over the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world. Bereavement sessions are also available for families who have experienced the death of a child from a supported illness.

Camp Sunshine offers sessions of varying lengths throughout the year. Supported conditions and diagnoses include:

• A brain tumor, cancer and retinoblastoma
• Kidney disease
• Sickle cell disease
• Hematologic conditions
• Phenylketonuria (PKU) and more

Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) provides general recreation therapy programs, day camps, athletics, inclusion, trips, special events, leisure education, community adult day programs, and one-to-one therapy opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. NWSRA serves 17 northwest suburban Chicago communities in partnership with member park districts.

NWSRA partners with Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Mt. Prospect, Palatine, Prospect Heights, River Trails, Rolling Meadows, Salt Creek, Schaumburg, South Barrington, Streamwood, and Wheeling park districts.

Homocystinuria (HCU) Network America provides free resources and connections for people impacted by this rare genetic disorder that affects the body’s ability to process the amino acid homocysteine. HCU Network America supports a wide range of research and provides educational resources, connections and practical tools to help patients and their families navigate living with HCU.

HCU Network America resources include:

• Information on understanding HCU, clinic visits and treatment options
• An HCU Community Cookbook
• A downloadable Classical HCU Toolkit and podcast
• A New Patient Toolkit

ASL Nook (American Sign Language Nook) is an online hub featuring fun and casual videos to help deaf children, hearing family members and students learn ASL. Founded by two Deaf people from hearing families, ASL Nook aims to fill a gap for new parents and to teach ASL using authentic, real-life situations.

ASL Nook is free and provides short ASL videos focusing on topics such as:

• Eating at a restaurant
• Zoo and sea animals
• Favorite stories
• The weather
• Health and more

The Transition Planning Committee (TPC) for McLean, Dewitt and Logan Counties provides a wide range of resources to support students with disabilities and help their families navigate the transition to adulthood and life after high school. The resources are also helpful for educators and community members who are helping students and young adults build skills and explore their options after high school. The committee’s resources include:

• Education and training programs
• Support and mental health services
• Transportation and employment
• Legal and financial help
• Recreation and social opportunities
• Prioritization of Urgent Need for Services (PUNS)
• Housing and developmental training

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ “Pediatric First Aid and Safety Training for Teachers and Caregivers” online course is for anyone who works with or cares for infants and children. The six-unit training provides caregivers with an understanding of first aid and safety procedures, recognizing everyday medical emergencies and providing care for an injury or illness until professional help arrives.

Each unit takes about an hour to complete. You can complete the course at your own pace. The course costs $25 and is available through March 30, 2028. It covers:

• Administering mental health first aid
• Effectively communicating with emergency responders
• Disaster planning
• Identifying and managing common pediatric medical emergencies
• Using first aid equipment and child-specific procedures for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

The KASE Project aims to raise awareness and support for autism through community outreach in the Springfield area. Its programs include:

• PECS (Picture Exchange Communication) at the Park – an initiative to install picture communication boards at local parks and playgrounds.
• PALS (Parent Autism Life Support) – a caregiver support initiative for parents, siblings and caregivers of children and adults with autism in Sangamon County. PALS currently hosts a support group for moms.
• FLASH (Friends Learning and Sharing Hope) – an effort to bring adaptive sports to the Chatham community and beyond.
• SIBS – A Sibshops program for siblings of children with health, mental health and developmental needs.