Resource Directory /

Chicago Resources

  • Talking to Children About Racial Bias

    HealthyChildren.org provides information on understanding how racial bias works in children as well as strategies to help them deal with and react to racial differences.

  • Help Illinois Families Emergency Relief Initiative

    Help Illinois Families expands on the existing Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Community Services Block Program (CSBG). New eligibility thresholds make Help Illinois Families available to more individuals and families. If you meet the income requirements and submit your application, you may be eligible for emergency assistance to cover the costs of utility bills, rent, temporary shelter, food and other household necessities.

    LIHEAP helps eligible low-income households pay for home energy services. This includes assistance with heating, gas, propane and electricity. The last day to apply online with the Request for Services form is April 15. After that date, you can still apply through your local administering agency through May 31 2022.

    CSBG offers Illinoisans an opportunity to receive support for an array of essential services including rent assistance, food, temporary shelter, medicine and more. CSBG applications are avaialble year-round.

    This initiative remains available for all qualifying households with low income, regardless of how they may be affected by COVID-19. Eligible families may qualify for hundreds of dollars of support.

  • Holy Trinity High School in Chicago Summer Meals

    Free meals are available to all children and young adults under 18 years old.  Children need not be present at pick up, nor do they need to attend the school where pick up is made.  There is a maximum of five meals per car.

    Holy Trinity High School (Starting June 15)
    1443 W Division St
    Chicago, IL 60642
    Monday-Friday,  11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

  • Mother McAuley High School Summer Meals

    We are excited to announce our pick up points for the Summer Food Service Program.  Free meals are available to all children and young adults under 18 years old.  Children need not be present at pick up, nor do they need to attend the school where pick up is made.  There is a maximum of five meals per car.

    Mother McAuley High School (Starting June 15)
    3737 W 99th St
    Chicago, IL 60655
    Monday-Friday,  10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

  • Share Our Spare

    Share Our Spare collects new and gently-used items for children ages 0-5 and donates them to low-income families living in Metropolitan Chicago. Items are not available directly: instead, Share our Spare reaches families in need by partnering with local social services organizations that provide their clients with needed social services such as parenting classes, early childhood education, housing referrals, job readiness training, and behavioral health services.

  • Cradles to Crayons Chicago

    Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive — at home, at school and at play. The organization provides these items, including children’s clothing, baby clothes, shoes, diapers, car seats, toys and books, free of charge.

  • Chinese Mutual Aid Association

    Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) is a community-based social services agency targeting the low-income immigrant and refugee community. CMAA provides in-home services, adult education classes, citizenship and immigration resources for people from around the world, employment readiness help, community events and more. Staff members speak a variety of languages including Cantonese, Burmese, Mandarin and Vietnamese.