Rockford Resources
The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University
The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University is a federally funded center providing elementary and secondary education programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The Clerc Center Online Community provides best-practice videos, research, toolkits and resources for families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and the professionals who work with them.
Clerc Center resources include:
- The Language First Parent Guide, a step-by-step roadmap for parents with children who are deaf and hard of hearing
- Family-focused activities such as American Sign Language (ASL) classes, bilingual storybooks and more
Community Foundation of Northern Illinois
The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) provides scholarships, including scholarships for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and grants to charitable organizations in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties. Visit CFNIL’s scholarship opportunities page to learn more.
YWCA La Voz Latina‘s services include:
- Information and referral services
- One-on-one parenting classes and adult education workshops
- Advocacy for at-risk families
- Immigrant and refugee assistance, information, orientation and referral to services
- Language proficiency assessments and services for businesses and offices
- Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP) classes for men in both English and Spanish
These programs are not limited to the Latino/Hispanic population. The organization serves Boone, Jo Daviess, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago counties.
Catholic Charities of Rockford
Catholic Charities of Rockford serves people in need in Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb, Kane, Whiteside and Lee counties. Its programs and services include:
- Counseling and a mental health ministry
- Immigration and refugee services
- Emergency help
- Food pantry and clothing closet
- Project Hire employment training and services
- Volunteer opportunities
Camp Erin Grief Support Online
Eluna’s Camp Erin Online provides an intentional space for children and their families to connect, find support and remember the people in their lives who have died. Camp Erin Online focuses on helping families find meaningful support as they move through grief using creative outlets such as:
- Painting
- Music
- Mindfulness
- Movement
- Photography
To attend Camp Erin Online events and programs, fill out an application online.
Siblings with a Mission is an international organization that supports siblings and families of individuals with complex health conditions and developmental disabilities. The organization serves both siblings and sibling supporters (parents, grandparents, friends, healthcare providers, professionals, etc.) of all ages and backgrounds. It provides:
- Sibling support groups focused on a specific diagnosis or disability
- SibSpot, a place where siblings and sibling supporters can read stories about sibling heroes and meet other siblings from around the world
- Resource lists and more
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resources
This tip sheet from the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) aims to help guide parents and caregivers through the steps to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA). It links to several websites and provides general guidelines.
Please note information may change, so be sure to go directly to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) website to verify information remains accurate and up to date.
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)’s Resiliency Toolkit is a collection of resources designed to foster safe and healthy school climates. In response to the growing mental health challenges that Illinois youth face, this toolkit offers developmentally appropriate tools to help students, parents, caregivers and school personnel build the resilience necessary to thrive.
ISBE’s Resiliency Toolkit topics include:
- Mental health
- Discrimination and harassment
- Preventing and addressing bullying
- Substance use prevention and more
Cook For Love is a nonprofit organization providing support, resources and education to individuals, families and clinicians managing phenylketonuria (PKU). The site empowers members of the metabolic disorders community to improve their health through cooking and education.
Cook for Love’s website includes:
- Recipes for creating low-protein foods
- Information about low-protein products to keep in your pantry
- Step-by-step instructions
- Videos for making meals and treats
Complex Care at Home for Children
The Complex Care at Home for Children website aims to provide an educational resource for parents and caregivers of children with medical complexity. The site offers information and tools to help facilitate daily care, ensuring a safe environment for the child and family. Topics include:
- Tracheostomy and other types of respiratory care
- Peritoneal dialysis
- Enterostomy care
- Enteral nutrition
- Parenteral nutrition
- Intravenous antibiotic therapy
- Intermittent bladder catheterization