Family Support Resources
Mental Health America’s Caregiving Resource Center
Mental Health America’s Caregiving Resource Center offers a comprehensive collection of caregiver mental health resources to help you protect your well-being, manage stress and navigate the challenges of caregiving.
It includes information on coping with caregiving stress, crisis planning, mental health resources for parents and caregiving resources on treatment and recovery.
Mental Health for Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Navigate Life Texas, a project to inform and empower parents of children with disabilities or special healthcare needs, has a Mental Health for Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities page. This page provides ideas on how to talk to your healthcare provider and the people working with your child if you think your child might be having mental health symptoms.
Mental Health Resources for Kids, Teens and Young Adults
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has resources geared toward kids, teens and young adults. NAMI also provides a coloring and activity book and step-by-step guidance to help parents explore and talk to children about emotional topics or mental health challenges.Mercy Housing is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing. Mercy Housing offers affordable rental properties in the Chicago area to low- and moderate-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Its programs include:
- Supportive housing for the formerly unhoused
- Transitional housing
- Permanent rental
- Affordable homeownership
Each Mercy Housing community has its own leasing office and its own application process. Use the search tool to find a list of communities and search by city. If you have general questions about low-income assistance, please contact the corporate office at (866) 338-0557.
Metropolitan Family Services provides a variety of services throughout Chicago, DuPage County, Evanston, Skokie and the southwest suburbs to help families learn, earn, heal and thrive. Metropolitan Family Services programs include:
- Early learning
- Afterschool
- Job readiness
- Counseling and mental health
- Legal assistance
Mid Central Community Action (MCCA) provides support, advocacy, and education for individuals and families in McLean and Livingston Counties. MCCA works to eliminate domestic violence, combat homelessness, and create a community hub for financial stability.
Midwest Food Bank of Illinois-Bloomington-Normal
Midwest Food Bank of Illinois-Bloomington-Normal provides food to nonprofit agencies across Central Illinois and beyond. Organizations include food pantries, homeless shelters, residential programs and children’s food programs. In an effort to serve more agencies, Midwest Food Bank offers volunteer opportunities and several off-site places where agencies can pick up food.
Midwest Food Bank of Illinois-Bloomington-Normal’s website also includes:
- Frequently asked questions about the food bank with more information
- Help with finding food resources in your area
Migrant Ministry of the Catholic Parishes of Oak Park provides a variety of support services to help migrants and asylum seekers work toward achieving financial independence. Located at the former St. Edmund School (now St. Edmund Center) at 200 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park, Migrant Ministry offers:
- Resources
- Advocacy
- Help finding food, housing and other supports
- Family mentors
Mini O’Beirne Crisis Nursery Parent Support Group
Attend monthly parent support groups in Springfield, IL. Call for more information or individual support (217) 525-6800.
Miracle Flights provides free commercial airline tickets to pediatric patients ages 17 and under in need of life-changing medical care far from home. Families must meet certain requirements and apply online using the online application for requesting each flight.
The organization also provides flights for service dog retrieval and/or training. Miracle Flights’ service dog program is open to all individuals who need help retrieving/training their service dog.