There are many ways to experience belonging. The Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) created this tip sheet to help youth with special healthcare needs and their families explore involvement in sports, leisure and other community activities. This tip sheet includes information on exploring your personal interests, funding and scholarships to support your activities, and steps you can take to get involved.

It’s Great to be Involved Tip sheet in English

It’s Great to be Involved Tip sheet in Spanish

Global Genes is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating the burdens and challenges of rare diseases for patients and families globally. It aims to connect, empower and inspire the rare disease community.

The Global Genes website includes a RARE Portal, which is an online community for patients, caregivers and more to share resources and create discussion groups.

Taller de José is an agency that helps individuals navigate the social services system. It links individuals with a bilingual Compañera/o, or “Companion,” who will listen, identify goals and help find needed services. The organization collaborates with other agencies to provide social services and support, including financial, domestic violence, immigration, counseling, health and legal assistance.

Taller de José serves Cook County residents.

The Special Needs Child Passenger Safety Resource Center, funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation, educates parents and caregivers of children with special needs on the importance of proper child passenger safety. The Special Needs Child Passenger Resource Center’s main location is at OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria. A satellite site is located at LaRabida Children’s Hospital, in Chicago. Its services include:

• A resource center for nurseries and organizations across Illinois that provides over-the-phone and in-person consultation and guidance for proper car seat usage and optimum safety.
• Education to parents, groups, hospital staff and certified child passenger safety technicians on changes in national guidelines and new seat choices.
• Proper selection, installation and fitting of special needs restraints for parents and their children.
• A  short-term loan program to provide seats to parents in need.

Learn more on the Special Needs Child Passenger Safety Resource Center website.

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AGBADHH) is a non-profit organization that provides resources to support hearing-impaired individuals and their families, information to increase understanding of hearing loss, and research on auditory or verbal communication.

AGBADHH also offers in-service training for teachers, scholarships and conferences, and collaborates with physicians, speech/language specialists and other professionals to promote educational, vocational and social opportunities for affected individuals. Visit the AGBADHH website for more details.

The Answer, Inc. provides resources, education, recreation and advocacy services to families with loved ones with autism and developmental disabilities in the greater Chicago area.

Visit The Answer, Inc., website for more information.

The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) provides education and training, benefits counseling, information and referral, direct services and more to help foster accessibility, full participation and equal opportunities for people with disabilities.

MOPD services and programs include:

• The HomeMod accessibility modifications program
• Independent living supports
• Accessibility requests and compliance
• Youth services
• A career center
• Transportation, emergency preparedness and more

Signed By Stories aims to raise mental health awareness, advocacy, education and support for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, late-deafened and deaf-disabled through storytelling.

Signed By Stories is working to create a community where deaf and hard-of-hearing people can:

• Join together and share their mental health stories
• Receive validation for their experiences
• Learn how to better support their own and the larger community’s mental health needs
• Have a platform where both deaf and hearing people have the knowledge, tools and feel empowered to take action to improve the current state of mental health care for deaf people

Get help finding food, nutrition programs, job training, and accessing programs at over 700 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community partners in the Chicagoland area.

Visit the Greater Chicago Food Depository website for more information.

Synapse House provides a range of programs for individuals affected by brain injury, stroke and other neurological conditions. Located in Downers Grove, Synapse House programs and services include:

• The Clubhouse day program
• Employment programs
• KNZ NeuroFitness Gym
• Community integration  therapeutic activities
• Community support services
• Family support

For more information or to set up a tour, please contact Deborah Giesler at deborah@synapsehouse.org or call (877) 932-1120.