Chicago Home Care Resources
Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford
Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford offers community-based, comprehensive services and supports to individuals in the city of Chicago, surrounding suburban Cook County, and the Rockford area. Programs focusing on early learning and disability services include autism services and supports, diagnostic services, early intervention and education programs, teen and young parent services, respite care, employment opportunities, and additional support services.
Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford services and programs include:
- Family support and respite services
- Harry’s Buttons and Threads (HB Threads) offering employment opportunities, job training, and life skills development for individuals with disabilities
- Teen and young parent family support, resources and doula services
- The Autism Program (TAP) at Easterseals serving families in JoDaviess, Lake, Stephenson, Boone, Winnebago, McHenry, and Northern Ogle counties.
- The Illinois Autism Partnership at Easterseals offering programming support for organizations. Resources include the Activities of Daily Living Toolkit.
For more information, visit the Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford’s website contact page.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdP) fosters personal relationships and service to people in need. Local SVdP Councils and Conferences, located in rural, suburban, and urban communities, provide rental and utility assistance, food pantries, charitable pharmacies, day centers, transitional housing for people with disabilities and veterans, thrift stores and more.
SVdP has chapters throughout Illinois. To find help near you, contact SVdP or ask your local Catholic church if they have a Society of St. Vincent de Paul chapter.
Sensory-Friendly Movie Showing List at Illinois Theaters
Several Illinois theaters offer movie showings with the lights up, lower sound and the freedom to get up, dance, walk, shout or sing. Visit the following sites to find more details and a theater near you:
Mental Health America’s Caregiving Resource Center
Mental Health America’s Caregiving Resource Center offers a comprehensive collection of caregiver mental health resources to help you protect your well-being, manage stress and navigate the challenges of caregiving.
It includes information on coping with caregiving stress, crisis planning, mental health resources for parents and caregiving resources on treatment and recovery.
Child Welfare Information Gateway
The Child Welfare Information Gateway aims to provide free and trusted resources to service providers, family members and parents working to bring children home from foster care. It aims to equip individuals with the resources needed to support positive outcomes for all children, youth, and families. The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to the following:
- Publications
- Research
- Laws and policies
- Databases covering a wide range of topics, including prevention, child abuse and neglect, adoption, search and reunion.
Adoptive Families is an award-winning web resource for parents raising children through adoption. It offers thousands of articles through its searchable Adoption Parenting Library, as well as helpful tip sheets featuring expert guidance, personal stories, parent-to-parent interaction and more.
Reliance Children’s Health Center
Reliance Children’s Health Center in Plainfield, Ill., provides specialized care in a home-like setting for children who are medically fragile and technology-dependent and under the age of 22. The center has a maximum capacity of 12 children and offers skilled nursing care, respite care, transitional care, therapies, medical daycare and more. Reliance Children’s Health Center services include:
- Respiratory care
- Medical day care
- Respite and transitional care
- Weekend camps
- Diagnostic studies
For more information, contact Reliance Children’s Health Center at:
- Office – (630) 385-0016 or (630) 385-0017
- Mobile – (630) 946-3156
- Email – Info@reliancechildrens.com
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
The National Federation of the Blind of Illinois (NFBI) is a nonprofit organization serving blind individuals and their sighted friends and family of all ages. NFBI provides information, programs and well-trained leaders to help newly blind people adjust to vision loss, promote the full participation and integration of blind people in our communities, and effect change at the state and national levels. Programs include:
- A free audio news service for anyone who is blind, low-vision, or otherwise print-disabled
- Scholarship and education programs
- Voter resources
- Statewide and local chapters
Visit NFBI’s website to view the complete list of Illinois chapters and contact information.
Please contact the chapter nearest you for more information.
The Jordan Thomas Foundation (JTF) supports children living with limb loss and limb difference with the prostheses they need throughout their growing years. In addition to specialized prosthetic devices, JTF provides support services and programs for children and their families, resources to help recipients participate in activities, scholarships and more.
JTF recipients can be of any age, up to 18 years old. JTF also offers a one-time assistance program for young adults aged 18 to 24 years old. Visit the foundation’s FAQ page to learn more. JFT accepts applications on a rolling basis.
For questions or more information, contact JTF at (615) 455-5505 or info@jordanthomasfoundation.org.
The mission of Tellin’ Tales Theatre is to shatter barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of personal story.
The theatre brings together children and adults from both communities to share their stories in theatrically innovative productions and programs to promote awareness, understanding and acceptance.
Tellin’ Tales Theatre is located at 360 E. Randolph St., Suite 1006, in Chicago. For more details, call (312) 498-7193 or fill out the theatre’s Contact Us form.

