Early CHOICES is an inclusion initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education. It promotes increasing high-quality inclusive early care and education for each and every child from birth to age 5. Its goal is to increase the number of children with disabilities receiving specialized services in regular early care and education settings.

Early CHOICES provides planning tools for families to help them consider inclusive options and prepare for the transition from Early Intervention into early childhood services.

Illinois Unidos is a coalition of 150-plus Latino healthcare providers, policymakers, experts, nonprofits and leaders that aims to ensure every Latino family in Illinois has equal access to high-quality health care and comprehensive public services.

The coalition partners with the Illinois Department of Insurance to help uninsured and underinsured Latino residents. You can visit Illinois Unidos’ Get Covered page to enroll in a health plan with the help of its free Health Navigators. The page also includes frequently asked questions about the Affordable Care Act and Healthcare.gov.

For more information about Illinois Unidos, call (773) 492-3889 or email Support@illinoisUnidos.org.

Hands & Voices is a nationwide, parent-driven organization supporting families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing without a bias around communication modes or methodology.

Hands & Voices working in partnership with the St. Petersburg Early Intervention Institute provides a Russian translation of materials aimed at improving services and child outcomes.

Empowering people. Inspiring capabilities. ( EP!C ) serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. EP!C helps individuals with disabilities at all levels achieve their goals and live their lives to the fullest by providing a range of programs and services including:

• Educational services
• Community living services
• Employment services
• EP!Casso art program
• Healthcare supports

EP!C provides services to individuals in central and some southern Illinois communities.

The Arc’s Virtual Program Library is a free hub full of on-demand activities that people with disabilities, and their families and service providers can do at home.

Topics include arts, community and life skills, health and wellness, virtual clubs, and more. Service providers can also find and share resources to facilitate or deliver live, remote programming for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

FoodFinder’s free website and app display an interactive food assistance map, helping users find their nearest food pantry or other free food programs anywhere in the United States.

• Website: https://foodfinder.us/
• App: “FoodFinder – Fighting Hunger”
• Email: info@foodfinder.us

Disability Belongs is a diverse, disability-led nonprofit focusing on accessibility, inclusion, belonging and empowering people with disabilities. They provide a wide range of resources, including training, webinars, networking and fully accessible leadership and internship opportunities for people with disabilities.

Disability Belongs also provides:

• A variety of resources, including a toolkit with steps for making virtual and in-person events accessible.
• A paid, fully accessible National Leadership Program for people with disabilities in the fall and spring.
• A five-month, Disability Belongs™ Virtual Entertainment Lab for creatives with disabilities in development and production, and careers as writers, cinematographers, animators and other roles.

Hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and VaccineFinder from Boston Children’s Hospital, Vaccines.gov provides information and help with:

• Finding recommended vaccines for respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, the flu and RSV
• Making an appointment
• Answering frequently asked questions about the vaccines

People with disabilities are individuals with families, jobs, hobbies, likes and dislikes, and problems and joys. While the disability is an integral part of who they are, it alone does not define them.

RespectAbility offers tips and resources to educate the public about etiquette and interacting with people with disabilities. Featured information includes:

• A disability sensitivity training video from the D. C. Office of Disability Rights
• The United Spinal Association’s Disability Etiquette booklet   (Spanish)  (Chinese)

The Illinois Department of Human Services’ Division of Rehabilitation Services (IDHS/DRS) is dedicated to empowering people with disabilities in becoming full participants in our society.

With “People First: A Guide to Interacting with People With Disabilities,” IDHS/DRS provides general etiquette tips and information on people-first language to foster respect and inclusion for people with disabilities.