Champaign Resources
The High Fives Foundation focuses on preventing life-changing injuries and providing resources for outdoor adventure sports athletes if they happen. High Fives provides community support, inspiration and grants to help athletes and veterans with spinal cord injuries (SCI), traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and others get back to their outdoor physical activity of choice from snowboarding and skiing to surfing and mountain biking and beyond.
The High Fives Foundation Empowerment Fund grants are primarily need-based. Recipients can use the grant funds for adaptive sports equipment, healing network, medical equipment, programs, living expenses and emergency care/injury expenses. Athletes living in the United States or Canada and meeting the criteria for each grant cycle can apply each year.
Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation
The Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation provides financial assistance to people of all ages with spinal cord injury and neurological disorders. It also offers funding for medical research. Financial assistance includes post-high school education scholarships and charitable grants to help pay for items such as van modifications, wheelchairs and ramps.
The foundation awards scholarships annually. It reviews charitable grants quarterly in January, March, June, and September. Wisconsin residents receive priority. Individuals anywhere in the United States may receive financial assistance depending on available funds. For program applications and more information, visit:
Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC)
The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) provides free, easy to understand resources for people living with traumatic brain (TBI), spinal cord (SCI) and burn injuries and their supporters. The research-based resources aim to improve rehabilitation outcomes and quality of life for people living with SCI, TBI, and burn injuries. MSKTC resources are available in a variety of formats including printable PDF documents, videos and slideshows.
The MSKTC website features a wide range user-friendly resources divided by topic:
Margaret Hackett Family Program
Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system (CNS) are birth defects of the physical structure of the brain or spinal cord that occur during fetal intrauterine growth such as spina bifida, hydrocephalus and other conditions. The Margaret Hackett Family Program (MHFP) at the University of Chicago provides individuals and families help with diagnosing, understanding, caring for and addressing the challenges of living with CNS congenital anomalies. MHFP also provides research and research grants.
The Margaret Hacker Family Program also offers:
- A monthly, virtual “Connect Group” for individuals and families affected by CNS anomalies
- In-person quarterly socials
- In-person events twice a year featuring food, giveaways, fun activities and resources
- Help with finding resources and medical care
Illinois Help Stop Hate provides meaningful support to help victims and witnesses of hate acts in reporting what happened and connecting them and their communities with vital resources. The service is free, confidential and not affiliated with law enforcement. Individuals can make online reports in seven languages. Callers can report in the language of their preference and receive assistance from call specialists trained in trauma-informed care.
You can make reports anonymously by calling (877) 458-4283 or (877) 458-HATE, Monday to Friday from 12 to 9 p.m. or online any time by visiting ILStopHate.org.
BACKBONES – Connecting People With Spinal Cord Injury
BACKBONES connects people with spinal cord injury and their families to others with similar backgrounds, injuries and interests. BACKBONES provides inspirational stories and programs that include events, a youth program for teenagers (ages 15 to 18), leader development and monthly online meetups for people in the spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) community looking to connect with their peers.
FacingDisability provides stories, hundreds of paralysis resources and up-to-date information on spinal cord injury. The organization works with medical experts from major hospitals, universities and rehabilitation institutions nationwide to provide insight and inspiration. FacingDisability resource topics include:
- Disability advocates
- Family and caregiver support
- Assistive technology
- Financial assistance and government programs
- Education and employment
A Place for Us provides students with disabilities and their allies a space to connect, network and empower one another through peer mentoring that spans from high school through college. This nationwide nonprofit helps students with disabilities succeed in higher education by unifying disability rights activists in colleges across the country. A Place for Us provides:
- A digital network of students with disabilities and their allies to be mentors for high school students and underclassmen with disabilities
- Students with disabilities and disability advocates willing to share their stories
- Nationwide mentors who can help you navigate your higher education journey
- Mentorship opportunities
Stress and Coping Skills Resources
If left unmanaged, stress can negatively impact our physical health, emotional well-being, relationships, work, and many other things in our lives. To effectively manage stress, one must identify the stressor and take active steps to reduce the impact of the stressor by using effective and individualized coping tools.
Illinois Extension provides this list of resources to help reduce stress and enhance coping skills.
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free, confidential and here to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week in English and Spanish for anyone who is pregnant or just had a baby.
Trained counselors can listen to what you’re going through, connect you with local support groups and organizations, and refer you to other healthcare professionals if you need more care.
Call or text (833) 852-6262 or (833) TLC-MAMA.