If you cannot pay your energy bill due to financial difficulties, Peoples Gas has flexible payment arrangement plans or energy assistance options that may help.

If you are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of being homeless, call (217) 522-0048. For other housing-related needs, please call 211.

Together, Fifth Street Renaissance/Springfield AIDS Resource Association (SARA Center) in Springfield assists individuals and families in difficult situations in reclaiming their self-sufficiency and well-being. It provides resources, transitional housing, opportunities to develop job skills and education, and help in securing employment. The organization also helps individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS find affordable housing, medical assistance and counseling.

Fifth Street Renaissance/SARA Center programs include:

• Homeless prevention – provides rental, utility and support services to prevent homelessness
• Housing programs – provide safe housing to help individuals and families achieve stability and independence
• Youth service program – supports vulnerable youth as they transition from foster care to independence

For more information, call (217) 544-5040 or email info@fsr-sara.org.

The Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) helps people with disabilities achieve full community participation through employment, education and independent living opportunities.

Use the DORS office locator to find an office near you or call:

• (877) 581-3690 Voice
• (866) 264-2149 TTY
• (312) 957-4881 (Please note this is a video phone number)

You can also apply online for DRS services.

Darkness to Light empowers adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse through awareness, education and the reduction of stigma. It offers evidence-informed training on the education and prevention of child sexual abuse, other forms of abuse and mandated reporting. Darkness to Light’s website also offers resources for parents and families to help protect the children in their lives.

For more information, email info@d2L.org or call (843) 965-5444.

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) provides free Conversation Guides to help you have conversations with a family member, friend, or other loved one about your – or their – wishes for care through the end of life.

All the guides are available to download and print at home for free. The guides include:

• Your Guide to Choosing a Health Care Proxy
• Your Guide to Being a Health Care Proxy
• Your Guide to Talking With a Health Care Team
• What Matters to Me Workbook
• Guide for Caregivers of a Child With Serious Illness

The guides are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese.

Contact Ministries is a non-profit, faith-based, social service organization serving the greater Springfield community. It provides free on-site support services and emergency shelter to single women, women with children, families and individuals in poverty.

Contact Ministries provides:

• Referrals
• Food and clothing
• Emergency shelter and transitional housing
• Financial assistance and other programs

Call Contact Ministries at (217) 753-3939.

Catholic Charities offers a crisis assistance program to help individuals and families facing short-term, one-time crises that may put them at risk of eviction or utility shut off.  The service is free for residents living in the 28-county Springfield diocese.

For help or information, contact the Catholic Charities Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, at any of these offices:

• Effingham office at (217) 857-1458, Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Granite City office at (618) 877-1184, ext. 201 or 205, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Springfield office at (217) 523-4551, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

CaringInfo, a program of the National Alliance for Care at Home, provides free resources to educate and empower patients and caregivers to make decisions about serious illness and end-of-life care and services.

The site provides guides and resources about topics including advance directives, palliative care, caregiving and hospice care.

For more information, please use the National Alliance for Care at Home’s online contact form.

CaringInfo provides free advance directives and instructions for each state that you can download and save.