Family Support Resources
Wabash Area Development, Inc. (WADI) in Enfield
Wabash Area Development, Inc. (WADI) is a Community Action Agency serving Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Wabash, Wayne, White and Saline counties. WADI provides emergency help for homeless and low-income families and individuals. It also offers education, housing, homeless prevention and job training programs to empower people to become more self-sufficient. WADI services and programs include:
- Energy assistance
- Emergency transitional housing
- Head Start/Early Head Start
- Rental housing support
- Work experience, on-the-job training and employment assistance
- Education scholarship opportunities
Warm Neighbors, Cool Friends Energy Assistance Foundation Program
Warm Neighbors Cool Friends (WNCF) Energy Assistance Foundation provides year-round help with energy bills and making homes more energy efficient for income-qualified families. The program helps low-to-moderate-income individuals and families who don’t qualify for federal assistance. Visit the WNCF website to learn about:
- Income and eligibility guidelines
- Program coverage areas
- Help for weatherizing your home
- Energy bill payment programs
We Care of Grundy County is a nonprofit that provides a range of services to help individuals and families achieve stability and improve their quality of life. Services include a food pantry, clothing, financial assistance during times of crisis, educational programs, support groups and more.
We Care of Grundy County Food Pantry is open by appointment Monday through Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. Please call (815) 942-6389 to schedule a time to come.
WeGo Together for Kids brings together 70 community partners from across the Chicagoland region to support West Chicago families with children from birth through high school (12th grade). Using a collaborative, coordinated and comprehensive approach, WeGo Together for Kids offers family events, tip sheets in multiple languages, food and nutrition resources, playgroups and more.
WeGo Together for Kids also provides:
- Behavior and parenting tip sheets for all ages
- Back-to-school social stories and other school readiness tools
- Help with potty training
West40 Community Resources in West Cook County
West40 serves 38 school districts and three co-ops in West Cook County. West40 provides a wide range of in-school advocacy, student-centered programs and links to community resources to help students and the people surrounding them succeed.
West40 offers:
- A community resource page with links to help with food, mental health needs, special education and more
- The Heart 2 Heart Program for students in grades K-12 in the Alternative Learning Opportunities Program (ALOP)
- Family engagement, immigration and other networking and support resources
Call (708) 449-4284 or use the West40 Contact Us form for more information.
Western Avenue Community Center in Bloomington
Western Avenue Community Center (WACC) offers programs for youth and seniors, interpretation and translation services, and a food program. WACC programs are open to anyone in the community. Its programs include:
- Interpretation and translation services in French and Spanish for medical, legal, educational and other general documents
- Mentoring and after-school programs
- Adult education and GED classes
- The Mamás Hogareñas Group to educate and support all moms in the community
- Food program for the Bloomington-Normal community
- Fitness programs
When Your Child Has a Heart Defect: Planning Ahead for Lifelong Heart Health
Children with congenital heart defects and disease (CHD) will need lifelong care from congenital heart experts. The Adult Congenital Heart Association provides this brochure to help parents of children born with CHDs support their child’s lifelong heart health.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
WIC is a food assistance program for Women, Infants, and Children. It helps pregnant women, new mothers and young children eat well and stay healthy.
The WIC page on the Illinois Department of Human Services’ website provides details about WIC services, who can receive these services and how to apply for WIC benefits.
Youth and Family Center of McHenry County
The Youth and Family Center of McHenry County (YFC) is dedicated to helping people help themselves through a variety of programs and services. YFC can help families with registering for child care and food assistance, understanding and translating documents, and finding financial, mental health and employment services. YFC also provides after-school and summer programming, adult education and engagement programs, bi-cultural navigation services, a community garden, English classes and more.
You can review the center’s flyer, provided in Spanish and English, for more information.
You can schedule an appointment online or call the main office in McHenry at (815) 322-2357. Please provide a full name and phone number to receive a callback.
Youth, Adolescent and Young Adult Suicide Prevention
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has developed a “Youth, Adolescent and Young Adult Suicide Prevention” webpage to help family members and others prevent suicide by knowing:
- The facts about suicide
- Who is at risk
- Warning signs specific to youth, adolescents and young adults
- Protective factors