West40 serves 38 school districts and three co-ops in West Cook County. West40 provides a wide range of in-school advocacy,  student-centered programs and links to community resources to help students and the people surrounding them succeed.

West40 offers:

• A community resource page with links to help with food, mental health needs, special education and more
• The Heart 2 Heart Program for students in grades K-12 in the Alternative Learning Opportunities Program (ALOP)
• Family engagement, immigration and other networking and support resources

Call (708) 449-4284 or use the West40 Contact Us form for more information.

North West Housing Partnership (NWHP) programs cover a broad area of the suburban northwest, west and Chicagoland area. It offers a variety of housing and handyman programs for seniors 60 years and older and people with disabilities, 18 or over, in need of simple repairs in the communities of:

• Arlington Heights
• Buffalo Grove
• Mount Prospect
• Palatine
• Rolling Meadows
• Des Plaines
• All of Palatine and Wheeling Townships
• Oak Park Township (including Oak Park and River Forest).

NWHP also offers:

• Housing workshops and seminars
• Handyman and CAPABLE (Community Aging in Place Advancing Better Living for Elders) programs for people with disabilities ages 18 and up
• The Home Repair Accessibility Program (HRAP) in Cook, Kane and DuPage counties, funded by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), to help homeowners address home accessibility issues that affect the health or safety of their families

For more information, visit the Contact Us page on NWHP’s website.

Find Help Southern Illinois connects people to area programs and services, including:

• Food and basic needs, such as food pantries, baby supplies, clothing and home goods
• Housing and shelter options
• Healthcare services, including medical, dental and vision care and transportation to health care
• Addition and recovery support
• Mental well-being services
• Financial assistance for child care, transportation, medical supplies and more
• Use the search filter to find the help you need in your community—sort by “closest” to receive the local information first
• Education and employment programs
• Legal assistance

The resource hub is an initiative of Southern Illinois Healthcare, Healthy Southern Illinois Delta Network and the Southern Illinois Coalition for Children and Families. The hub also receives support from the McKinney Vento Program for the Homeless Region V, Carbondale Elementary School District 95, Herrin Community Unit School District 4 Family Outreach Program, and the Carbondale Community Cabinet for Children and Youth with funding provided by Birth to Five Illinois.

OSF Healthcare Children’s Hospital of Illinois’  OSF Autism Pathways provides tools, information and resources to help individuals of all ages navigate their autism journey. The OSF Autism Pathways team can help answer questions about treatment options and other concerns. It can also help connect individuals to autism services and supports.

OSF Autism Pathways’ services and resources include:

• General autism information and resources
• Autism diagnostic services
• Behavioral health, crisis and respite care supports
• Daily living skills development and transition to adulthood planning
• Employment and job coaching
• Family supports and financial planning
• Social and recreational opportunities
• Therapeutic interventions

To refer yourself or your child, please call (844) 910-0770 or (309) 624-4830. You can also fill out the OSF Autism Pathways online form.

The “Independent Living, Here We Come Toolkit” is for young people and adults with disabilities who want to learn to live on their own or take care of themselves with less help. It serves as a guide for family members, caregivers, teachers and others helping anyone with disabilities navigate and build greater independence.

The toolkit is divided into 13 skill areas. You can complete one section at a time or download the entire “Independent Living, Here We Come Toolkit.”

Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans and the Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center created this toolkit.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness West Central Illinois (NAMI WCI) advocates for better lives for individuals who have a mental illness, and to erase stigmas associated with mental health, support and treatment. Headquartered in Mt. Sterling, NAMI WCI serves residents in Adams, Brown, Cass, Greene, Hancock, McDonough, Morgan, Pike, Schuyler and Scott counties.

NAMI WCI supports anyone concerned about mental illnesses and the treatment of mental illness. Its resources include:

• A Behavioral Health Resource Guide containing local information and help
• An up-to-date calendar of events and support groups
• NAMI’s National Helpline Resource Directory

For more information, email NAMI_WCI@namillinois.org.

Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation (SIHF Healthcare) provides services in central and southwestern Illinois, including family medicine, behavioral health, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and dental services for children. It also offers health insurance enrollment assistance and dedicated primary care providers and health centers in various communities. SIHF Healthcare accepts most insurance plans and offers a sliding fee scale so everyone can access quality care.

SIHF Healthcare offers community health centers and resources in Alton, Arthur, Belleville, Bethalto, Bunker Hill, Centreville, Charleston, Collinsville, East St Louis, Effingham, Fairmont City, Granite City, Greenup, Mattoon, Millstadt, O’Fallon, Olney, Red Bud, Salem, Swansea and Vandalia. Resources include:

• Primary care provider services
• Free blood pressure machines
• Health education and promotion
• Health insurance enrollment assistance
• Help with locating similar services statewide at (618) 646-2545 or chwprogram@sihf.org

The Autism Hero Project champions inclusion and fosters an environment where everyone, regardless of neurodiversity, is valued and empowered to thrive. The organization helps support, equip and foster acceptance of people with autism.

The Autism Hero Project provides:

• Autism information and resources
• Annual medical insurance grants
• Family-friendly, inclusive events and more

The Autism Hero Project Medical Insurance Grant Application program application period usually runs from September through October. If you have any application questions, please email applications@autismheroproject.org.

The HAP Foundation provides patient-centered hospice and palliative care education, research, workforce development and support. The foundation helps any family of a child or adult living with a serious illness understand palliative and hospice care options, and connect to and strengthen care throughout their journey. The HAP Foundation resources also include:

• Palliative and hospice care information for families and medical professionals
• Help for finding and accessing care
• Missing Pieces support group for anyone grieving the loss of a child
• The Pediatric Resource Guide for patients, families and practitioners
• Chicagoland resources and events

WeGo Together for Kids brings together 70 community partners from across the Chicagoland region to support West Chicago families with children from birth through high school (12th grade). Using a collaborative, coordinated and comprehensive approach, WeGo Together for Kids offers family events, tip sheets in multiple languages, food and nutrition resources, playgroups and more.

WeGo Together for Kids also provides:

• Behavior and parenting tip sheets for all ages
• Back-to-school social stories and other school readiness tools
• Help with potty training

If you have any questions, please visit the Contact WeGo Together Kids Page online.