Renaissance Social Services helps prevent and end homelessness for vulnerable Chicagoans, including individuals and families living with disabling conditions. It partners with landlords across Chicago to provide safe and affordable housing for its participants.

Renaissance also provides participants a range of services, including prevention, outreach, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, behavioral health care, and clinical case management.

To find housing placement with Renaissance, you must first register with the Chicago Coordinated Entry System (CES). Learn more and register with CES by visiting the Coordinated Entry System and access points to complete a housing assessment.

For more details about Renaissance Social Services, call (773) 645-8900 or visit the Renaissance contact page.

Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford offers community-based, comprehensive services and supports to individuals in the city of Chicago, surrounding suburban Cook County, and the Rockford area. Programs focusing on early learning and disability services include autism services and supports, diagnostic services, early intervention and education programs, teen and young parent services, respite care, employment opportunities, and additional support services.

Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford services and programs include:

• Family support and respite services
• Harry’s Buttons and Threads (HB Threads) offering employment opportunities, job training, and life skills development for individuals with disabilities
• Teen and young parent family support, resources and doula services
• The Autism Program (TAP) at Easterseals serving families in JoDaviess, Lake, Stephenson, Boone, Winnebago, McHenry, and Northern Ogle counties.
• The Illinois Autism Partnership at Easterseals offering programming support for organizations. Resources include the Activities of Daily Living Toolkit.

For more information, visit the Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford’s website contact page.

Spectrum Sailing is a nonprofit organization that provides sailing camps for children aged 10 to 17 with autism. Camp sessions in Chicago typically take place in June. The three-day experience includes learning about the boat’s parts, how to tie knots, and how to sail.

Check Spectrum Sailing’s website for the application and camp deadlines. For any questions about the Spectrum Sailing program or sessions, please call (847) 863-3059 or email info@spectrumsailing.org.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdP) fosters personal relationships and service to people in need. Local SVdP Councils and Conferences, located in rural, suburban, and urban communities, provide rental and utility assistance, food pantries, charitable pharmacies, day centers, transitional housing for people with disabilities and veterans, thrift stores and more.

SVdP has chapters throughout Illinois. To find help near you, contact SVdP or ask your local Catholic church if they have a Society of St. Vincent de Paul chapter.

Several Illinois theaters offer movie showings with the lights up, lower sound and the freedom to get up, dance, walk, shout or sing. Visit the following sites to find more details and a theater near you:

• • AMC and the Autism Society’s Sensory Friendly Films
  • Reel Movies for Real Needs
  • Studio Movie Grill’s Special Needs Screenings

Easterseals Central Illinois offers programs and support for individuals with developmental delays, disabilities and autism from birth through age 21. Resources include physical and occupational therapy, speech services, feeding therapy, autism evaluations and supports, education services, camp and recreation programs, and more.

Easterseals Central Illinois provides services in McLean, Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties. It also manages Child and Family Connections for Peoria and Champaign counties. For more information and help navigating their services, see the Parent Handbook.

You can contact Easterseals Central Illinois through its website or call (309) 686-1177.

Mental Health America’s Caregiving Resource Center offers a comprehensive collection of caregiver mental health resources to help you protect your well-being, manage stress and navigate the challenges of caregiving.

It includes information on coping with caregiving stress, crisis planning, mental health resources for parents and caregiving resources on treatment and recovery.

The Child Welfare Information Gateway aims to provide free and trusted resources to service providers, family members and parents working to bring children home from foster care. It aims to equip individuals with the resources needed to support positive outcomes for all children, youth, and families. The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to the following:

• Publications
• Research
• Laws and policies
• Databases covering a wide range of topics, including prevention, child abuse and neglect, adoption, search and reunion.

Adoptive Families is an award-winning web resource for parents raising children through adoption. It offers thousands of articles through its searchable Adoption Parenting Library, as well as helpful tip sheets featuring expert guidance, personal stories, parent-to-parent interaction and more.

Reliance Children’s Health Center in Plainfield, Ill., provides specialized care in a home-like setting for children who are medically fragile and technology-dependent and under the age of 22. The center has a maximum capacity of 12 children and offers skilled nursing care, respite care, transitional care, therapies, medical daycare and more. Reliance Children’s Health Center services include:

• Respiratory care
• Medical day care
• Respite and transitional care
• Weekend camps
• Diagnostic studies

For more information, contact Reliance Children’s Health Center at:

• Office – (630) 385-0016 or (630) 385-0017
• Mobile – (630) 946-3156
• Email – Info@reliancechildrens.com