Lombard Resources
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.
Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission
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 Arc of Illinois Family-to-Family Health Information Center
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.
How to Help Children Build Resilience in Uncertain Times
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.
Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other Traumatic News Events
The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents, teachers, child care providers, and others who work closely with children to filter information about crises and present it in a way that their child can accommodate, adjust to and cope with. HealthyChildren.org provides information on where to start and how to provide the right support in this article, “Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other Traumatic News Events.”
Talking to Children About Racial Bias
The “Talking to Children About Racial Bias” page from 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.
Illinois Spina Bifida Association
The Illinois Spina Bifida Association (ISBA) works to improve the quality of life of children, adults and families with spina bifida. ISBA works to accomplish its mission by:
- Promoting skills development and independence
- Supporting individuals and families through outreach, education and advocacy
- Investing in people by funding scholarships, mobility equipment, research and emergency help
For more information or to participate in these programs, visit ISBA’s website or call (773) 444-0305.
The National Diaper Bank Network connects and supports the country’s more than 200 community-based diaper banks that collect, store and distribute free diapers to struggling families. The website includes a list of member diaper banks in Illinois.
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.
Share Our Spare partners with social service agencies representing 120 zip codes in the following counties: Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, McLean, Will and Winnebago.
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.