Highpoint Care Center provides Drive-Up Care Centers where visitors can receive a bag filled with household toiletries and groceries. The organization also provides meals to District 200 students during lunchtime and has a mobile food pantry. Additional assistance with the cost of utilities, rent and car repairs is available.

Care Center locations are in Naperville, North Aurora, Bolingbrook/Romeoville and Wheaton.

Highpoint Care Center provides a Mobile Drive-Up Care Center where recipients can receive a bag filled with groceries and resources. Care Center locations are available in:

• Naperville
• Wheaton
• Bolingbrook/Romeoville
• North Aurora

Highpoint Church also offers financial assistance to those in need. For more information, visit www.highpoint.church/care/.

The latest American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says children learn best when they are in school. However, returning to school in person needs careful steps in place to keep students and staff safe. HealthyChildren.org provides information about the considerations needed to keep students and staff safe.

The Night’s Shield is a nonprofit that works with children who have been victims of abuse, abandonment and neglect. The organization has provided free diapers, furniture, child care items, hygiene items, school supplies, food and clothing to families in need.

The Night Shield’s Family Advocacy Center provides services to help strengthen families and relationships, including case management and client advocacy, life skills/coaching, parenting classes/groups and more.

The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission (IDHHC) is an executive state agency that promotes education and awareness of the legal requirements for effective communication on behalf of people with hearing loss in Illinois.

The commission also provides information about:

• Assistive technology
• Hearing aid assistance
• Service animal resources
• Interpreters and CART providers
• American Sign Language (ASL) videos and publications

The IDHHC has developed American Sign Language videos of key guidance regarding COVID-19 based upon publications by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, individualized education program (IEP) teams have a unique educational opportunity to create meaningful distance learning activities at home for transition-age students. The PACER Center provides this handout for how parents can help their children practice and learn new skills to prepare for adulthood.

The Arc of Illinois Family-to-Family Health Information Center works with families and professionals to help with questions and concerns related to the health of children and youth with special healthcare needs under the age of 22.

The center focuses on sharing the most thorough, up-to-date resources regarding health insurance options, government benefits, youth transition concerns and more to help children thrive in their community.

For more information, call (815) 464-1832, ext. 1017, or email familytofamily@thearcofil.org or mary@thearcofil.org.

The Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD) provides resources for families in the following areas: federal and state guidance, remote learning, assistive and accessible technology, disability health information and resources, COVID-19 preparedness, housing, pets, relief funds, self-care and transportation.

HealthyChildren.org’s How to Help Children Build Resilience in Uncertain Times provides information on the feelings many of us experience during uncertain times and how they provide a chance to model and teach lifelong resilience skills to children.