Family Support Resources
The Diaper Bank of Southern Illinois
The Diaper Bank of Southern Illinois serves as a central location to collect and store donated diapers. The Diaper Bank partners with local service agencies to distribute diapers to low-income children and their families.
To request diapers, the Diaper Bank of Southern Illinois requires that the agency has an ongoing relationship with the client and has screened for need. Agencies may contact diaperbanksi@gmail.com or call (618) 549-2148, ext. 110.
The Dream Factory is a volunteer-driven children’s wish-granting organization. Volunteers raise funds in their communities to grant dreams to local children ages 3 through 18 who have a life-threatening illness or are critically and chronically ill. Dreams are granted through local chapters. Referrals can be made by:
- A parent or legal guardian of an ill child
- A treating physician of an ill child
- The ill child
In Illinois, contact the Dream Factory of Central Illinois at centralillinois@dreamfactoryinc.org. You can find other local chapters on the Dream Factory website.
The Journey Through Diagnosis: A Guide for Families of Children with a Genetic Condition
The Family Forum of the Region 4 Midwest Genetics Collaborative wrote this guide to provide information and support to families whose child has been diagnosed with a genetic condition. It is written from the family perspective and includes information they felt was important when facing a new diagnosis. The material includes advice and tips to help guide families on their journey.
The Mighty’s Digital Toolkit for Caregivers
The Mighty provides a digital toolkit to help caregivers learn more about the ins and outs of caregiving and discover helpful resources to utilize along their caregiving journey.
The Mighty’s Digital Toolkit for Caregivers includes:
- A caregiving binder, complete with worksheets to help you better organize important information
- A respite care questionnaire to help you find the perfect respite worker for your specific needs
- A self-care mini-guide to help you destress and prioritize your mental health
Everything included in the toolkit is downloadable, printable and shareable.
The Neighbor Project (TNP) is a nonprofit, HUD-Certified Housing Counseling Agency dedicated to helping low to moderate-income families in Aurora reduce debt, build credit, save and ultimately buy their first homes.
The Nest Postpartum is a nonprofit that serves families with a child in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Carle Hospital in Champaign.
It provides services such as transportation, lodging, prepared meals, care coordinator check-ins and links to other community support programs for families staying in the NICU.
The Night’s Shield is a nonprofit that works with children who have been victims of abuse, abandonment and neglect. The organization has provided free diapers, furniture, child care items, hygiene items, school supplies, food and clothing to families in need.
The Night Shield’s Family Advocacy Center provides services to help strengthen families and relationships, including case management and client advocacy, life skills/coaching, parenting classes/groups and more.
The Parent Advocacy App for Families of Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Children
The Parent Advocacy app is a free application for families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing attending Individualized Education Program meetings, 504 Plan meetings and more.
The app aims to help you understand your child’s rights and prepare to work with the school in the best interest of your child.
The Parent Place in Springfield
The Parent Place has been the local child abuse prevention organization teaching parents and local professionals positive parenting skills and techniques in Springfield.
The Parent Place serves families through various specialized classes, workshops, support groups for parents, guardianship assistance, extended family services, walk-in services, telephone crisis management, family mediation, individual family coaching, a diaper pantry, supervised visits and through its court-mandated Positive Co-Parenting classes for couples going through a divorce or separation.
The diaper pantry is open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Salvation Army St. Clair County
The Salvation Army St. Clair County provides a variety of programs and services to help individuals and families remove barriers, build job skills, find childcare and remain in their homes. It offers:
- After-school programs where youth and teens have a safe place to complete homework, learn new skills and relax with friends
- Pathway to Hope program that helps families identify barriers and address them by connecting with community support organizations and more
- Homelessness prevention services
- Emergency help with rent/mortgage, utility bills and other needs to keep families in their homes