TotalLink to Community provides individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities ages 18 years or older in the north suburbs of Chicago with a wide range of person-centered services to promote employment, independence and strong social connections in the community.

TotalLink provides career and vocational services, including job development and placement, using Customized Employment, a proven and innovative approach that utilizes skill-based coaching, family coaching, life planning, and educational and recreational opportunities designed to get young adults with disabilities involved in their community and deepen social connections.

Habitat for Humanity helps build safe, affordable housing for people in need. Some Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Illinois also offer programs to help with home repairs, weatherization and access ramps for eligible homeowners. Please contact the Habitat for Humanity affiliate serving your area for specific details and application information.

Habitat affiliates offering the additional programs include:

• Grundy-Three Rivers Habitat for Humanity
• Jackson, Union County Habitat for Humanity
• Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County
• Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities
• Quincy Area Habitat for Humanity
• Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County

Habitat for Humanity International affiliates in the Chicagoland area:

• Chicagoland for Habitat for Humanity
• Habitat for Humanity Northern Fox Valley

Adventures Unlimited is a free, state-funded respite program in Illinois that provides programming and events for participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities and respite to caregivers.

Adventures Unlimited offers two-hour recreation opportunities and events focusing on fitness, art, media training and food preparation for adults and children as young as 4 years old.

To be eligible for Adventures Unlimited, individuals must have a documented developmental disability. They must also not be enrolled in any other Medicaid waiver program.

Hire Autism is a free program from the Organization for Autism Research to help autistic job seekers find meaningful employment opportunities and connect with autism-friendly employers.

The site features include a searchable jobs board and resource library, profile and job board navigation tutorials, personalized job alerts and autism- or disability-related employment events. Job seekers can request free one-on-one virtual assistance with resume and cover letter writing as well as interview preparation through Hire Autism’s volunteer mentoring program.

Hire Autism also offers the Synchrony Tech Scholarship for adults with autism pursuing technology-related courses or training to advance their careers.

For questions, please contact Hire Autism.

Formerly known as PKU News, flok provides resources, research, support and an app for individuals with an inherited metabolic disorder and the people and clinicians who care for them. These conditions include Classical Homocystinuria (HCU), Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), Phenylketonuria (PKU), Tyrosinemia and more.

The flok website includes:

• Opportunities to connect and share in person and virtually
• Annual flok Family Camps
• Food science information guided by a staff dietitian and collaborations with partner organizations and Genetic Metabolic Dietitians International
• The flok app for individuals managing an inherited disorder of protein metabolism

For questions, please contact flok at info@flok.org or (973) 619-9160.

The Superhero Project matches children facing serious illnesses, disabilities and complex medical needs with artists to create their superhero alter egos.

The nonprofit interviews kids and teens about their superhero alter egos. Artists then design the characters the children have described, creating a visual representation of their strength, courage and resilience. Families then receive an inspiring poster of their superheroes.

The Superhero Project is free and open to families around the world. For questions, please contact The Superhero Project using the online form or email hello@SHPkids.org

Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital’s Tracheostomy Care at Home page aims to help parents learn how to take care of their child’s tracheostomy (trach).  Topics include:

• The Tracheostomy
• Tracheostomy Skin Care
• How to Suction the Tracheostomy
• How to Change a Tracheostomy Tube
• Emergency Care

Please note: This information is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute in any way for medical education, training, treatment, advice or diagnosis by a healthcare professional.

The Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition (PPCC) offers a Caring Conversations Toolkit to help determine when and how to start a conversation about hospice or palliative care. Separate toolkits targeting the needs of families and providers are available.

Each toolkit offers a series of questions to help decide whether it is time to start a conversation about hospice or palliative care for a child with serious illness, and how to navigate the discussion.

 

SAM’s Sweet Heart Memorial Foundation is dedicated to helping Illinois families with children with complex medical diagnoses.

SAM’s Sweet Heart provides financial assistance to Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago county families with children under the age of 18 who have a medical condition requiring lifelong treatment. Local families may apply for a grant during open application periods.

 

The Illinois Chapter of the Association of Education of Young Children (ILAEYC or Illinois AEYC) works to enrich the quality of care and education of the young child by:

• Increasing communication among parents, caregivers and professionals involved in the care and education of young children
• Providing in-service training for the early childhood community
• Hosting opportunities for community learning

ILAEYC has chapters and volunteers throughout the state.