Resource Directory /

Mokena Resources

  • Arab American Action Network (AAAN)

    The Arab American Action Network (AAAN) is a grassroots nonprofit on the southwest side of Chicago.The AAAN combines social services with organizing and advocacy to promote social change. AAAN services include:

    • Children’s after-school program and summer camp
    • Cultural outreach presentations for schools, faith institutions, corporations and other community organizations
    • Family empowerment program offering biweekly citizenship classes, English classes and family literacy and parenting skills program
    • Youth leadership program

  • Arab American Family Services

    Arab American Family Services (AAFS) provides assistance to over 30 communities in the south suburban Chicagoland area. AAFS is a non-political, non-religious organization that focuses on building respect and understanding between Arab-Americans and the mainstream-American culture. It also serves as a catalyst for social change by actively seeking to confront the myths and taboos that have kept some Arab Americans from obtaining the help they need.

    AAFS assists Arab speakers in their native language and dialect and is also recognized by government agencies and other nonprofits as a local resource for cultural exchange and translation services. AAFS programs include case management, mental health assistance, immigration services, disability assistance and more.

  • Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills Tip Sheet

    This Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills tip sheet from the Illinois Early Learning Project provides strategies that are helpful to all children but are particularly helpful for those with limited verbal skills.

    IEL offers a wide variety of one-page, easy-to-read tip sheets covering a wide range of topics for parents and teachers of young children.

    All tipsheets are available in Spanish and English. Selected tipsheets are available in Polish, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and French.

  • Illinois Medicaid Managed Care Transportation Toolkit in English and Spanish

    The Illinois Medicaid Managed Care Consumer Benefits Transportation Toolkit is a step-by-step guide to help you get to medical appointments. The toolkit flyer provides a code to scan with your smartphone for quick access and contact information on who to contact if you don’t know which Medicaid Health Plan you have.

    Use the transportation toolkit to learn:

    • How to set up a ride
    • What additional rides your plan covers
    • What to think about when planning ahead

    The flyer and toolkit are also available in Spanish:

    The following organizations developed the toolkit: Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans (IAMHP), FIMR Community Action Team, Aetna Better Health of Illinois, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, CountyCare Health Plan, Humana, Meridian and Molina Healthcare.

  • Accessible Festivals

    Accessible Festivals is dedicated to making live music and recreational events fully accessible for people of all abilities. Partnering with festivals and friends in the industry, Accessible Festivals provides free tickets, a calendar of events and a variety of programs that encourage accessibility and inclusion.

    It also offers the Dan Grover Memorial Ticket Grant Program for individuals impacted by newly acquired, temporary or lifelong disabilities to apply for free access to their favorite events like concerts, festivals, and conventions.

  • Special Father’s Network

    Special Father’s Network is a dad-to-dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs.

    The program connects new fathers with special needs children to another father (a Mentor Father) who has experienced a similar situation. The program matches Mentor Fathers as closely as possible based on the child’s special needs, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic group and relationship to the child e.g., .father, stepfather, grandfather).

    The Special Father’s Network is available through the 21st Century Dads Foundation, which raises awareness and resources for greater father involvement and seeks to inspire dads to be present, caring and nurturing.

  • DSCC’s Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment for Parents/Caregivers

    The Division of Specialized Care for Children’s (DSCC) Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment for Parents/Caregivers is a tool to help parents and their children prepare for the transition to adulthood and taking care of their healthcare needs. You can fill out this form to see what you already know about your child’s health and the areas you think they want to learn more about.

    Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment for Parents/Caregivers in English

    Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment for Parents/Caregivers in Spanish

  • Guaranteed Rate Foundation

    Guaranteed Rate Foundation provides financial support to those working to overcome extraordinary hardships.

    Knowing that it can be difficult to ask for help in times of need, the foundation strives to make the request for assistance process as simple as possible and encourages applicants to contact them with any questions.

  • C.I.T.Y. of Support

    Children in Therapy and You (C.I.T.Y.) of Support is an online and in-person community that supports all families navigating the needs of their child in therapy, regardless of diagnosis, age, therapeutic needs or overall situation. Information, resources and events are available online, free of charge.

    C.I.T.Y. of Support includes members from all across Chicagoland. Local leaders help coordinate on-site events and opportunities within specific geographic regions.

    C.I.T.Y. of Support also sponsored the creation of the Accessibility Support Collection at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. Children in therapy and their caregivers may borrow therapeutic toys/tools/print materials from the library to explore at home.