Accessibility Resources
“Camp Free to Be” Day Camp in Peoria
The Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association’s (HISRA) “Camp Free to Be” is for children with multiple and/or severe disabilities ages 4 to 21. This day camp runs Monday through Friday, providing eight weeks of fun and exciting activities.
Camp Free to Be matches campers with staff members to ensure their success and can also accommodate a 1:1 ratio. A typical camp day runs from 8:30 am. to 4 p.m. Registration usually opens in February and closes on May 1.
The Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association (HISRA) is a cooperative extension of the Chilicothe, Morton, Peoria and Washington park districts to provide quality recreation programming and inclusion services.
For questions, please contact HISRA using the online form, call (309) 691-1929, or email info@hisra.org.
211 DuPage County – Community Resources and Information
211 DuPage provides information and access to trained local specialists who listen and help connect people with a wide range of resources that meet all their underlying needs, not just the one that prompted the call, text or email. 211 DuPage can help connect people with programs and services, including:
- Emergency counseling
- Disaster assistance
- Food, health care and insurance assistance
- Stable housing and utilities payment assistance
- Employment services
- Childcare and family services
- Veteran services and more
303 Taxi and Paratransit Services Between Chicago and Area Suburbs
303 Taxi provides school transportation services for special education students and paratransit services. Wheelchair-accessible vans (WAV) with lifts and ramps are available for travel between Chicago and Suburban Cook, Lake, DuPage, and parts of McHenry and Kane counties.
311 provides assistance with non-emergency city services and information on events, programs and agencies within the city of Chicago. Individuals may call or access the 311 website and mobile app to:
- Create and track service requests
- Find rent or housing assistance
- Learn about the HomeMod Program that provides accessibility modifications for Chicago residents
- Search and get information on other requests in your neighborhood
Access Living is the Center for Independent Living (CIL) that serves the city of Chicago. All of its programs and services revolve around one central belief: that people with disabilities have the right to live the lives they choose for themselves in an accessible, integrated world.
Its five core services include:
- Advocacy
- Independent living skills
- Transition support
- Peer support
- Information and referral
Accessible Chef is a collection of free visual recipes and other resources to help teach cooking skills to individuals with disabilities at home or in a special education classroom.
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.
Accessible Live Theater Productions Calendar
The League of Chicago Theatres works with Chicago-area theaters to make live theater performances accessible to everyone. The league provides a calendar of upcoming performances based on specific access requirements and disabilities.
The calendar includes touch tours, American Sign Language (ASL)-interpreted, audio-described, open-captioned, sensory-friendly and Spanish subtitled performances. Sensory-friendly performances are relaxed and sensory-friendly theatre experiences aimed to be more accessible for individuals on the autism spectrum or others with cognitive/developmental disabilities.
For more information, contact the League of Chicago Theatres at (312) 554-9800 or info@chicagoplays.com.
Achieving Independence and Mobility Center for Independent Living (AIM-CIL)
Achieving Independence and Mobility Center for Independent Living (AIM-CIL) provides training, peer support, information and referrals, community development and advocacy services to help individuals with disabilities participate in all aspects of family, social and community life. AIM-CIL serves residents with disabilities and their families in DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties.
Other AIM-CIL programs include:
- Assistive Technology Program – Individuals/families can apply to receive up to $500 for an authorized device(s). Only one device per person/per household.
- Educational Scholarship Program – Students can get up to $1,000 for college or trade school registration/application/lab fees, books and/or class tuition. Only one scholarship per student/household. Please refer AIM-CIL’s website for specific requirements and deadline dates.
For questions, please see AIM-CIL’s Contact Us page, call (630) 469-2300, or video relay (630) 984-4251.
The ADA National Network provides information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).