Financial Assistance and Grant Programs Resources
The Dysphagia Outreach Project is a nonprofit organization that provides assistance for individuals with swallowing disorders across the lifespan.
The Dysphagia Outreach Project’s Dysphagia Food Bank aims to provide tangible assistance to low-income individuals with dysphagia across the lifespan by providing access to thickeners, pre-modified foods, therapy tools, oral care supplies and adaptive equipment.
El Mercadito (Nourishing Hope)
El Mercadito is a partnership between La Casa Norte and Nourishing Hope. This partnership provides Chicago residents with fresh food, benefits assistance, job search training, mental health counseling, and access to housing information and referral services. Assistance is available in multiple languages.
Nourishing Hope also offers a free, monthly Online Market service where individuals can:
- Place a grocery order using any computer or smartphone
- Order frozen meats, canned goods, cereal, milk, eggs, and fresh produce each month
- Pick up from the warehouse, The Hub, or Sheridan Market
- Skip waiting in line
- Continue access to the physical pantry/market
If you have any questions, you can contact El Mercadito at (773) 525-1777.
Emergency and Transitional Housing Program
The Emergency and Transitional Housing Program in Illinois gives immediate and comprehensive shelter services to people who are homeless and people at risk of becoming homeless. Services are provided at shelters run by nonprofit organizations and local governments. for more information, see the Emergency and Transitional Housing Provider List.
Endeavor Health serves patients across Chicagoland and includes NorthShore University HealthSystem, Edward-Elmhurst Health, Northwest Community Healthcare and Swedish Hospital. Its community programs provide low-cost, accessible care options, including routine care, specialty services, wellness programs, support groups and more.
Endeavor Health community programs and clinics include:
- Community access to health centers, clinics and more
- Mobile dental clinics for residents of Elk Grove, Palatine, Schaumburg and Wheeling Townships who financially qualify
- The Community Resource Center (CRC) for individuals and immigrant families in the northwest suburbs needing multilingual services, referrals and other types of help
- Community CARE (Creating Access to Resources for Equity) programs addressing food insecurity, health education, mental health, support for survivors of violence and more
If you have any questions, please visit Endeavor Health’s Contact Us page online.
EngineerGirl focuses on diversity of thought and the many opportunities engineering represents for girls and women. The EngineerGirl website includes inspiration, information about women engineers and their achievements, “Try This” design challenges, a writing contest, summer study programs for high school students and more.
Visit its website for information about engineering scholarships and the EngineeringGirl annual writing contest.
For questions, please email EngineerGirl@nae.edu.
Entry Point for Suburban Cook County
Entry Point’s purpose is to ensure all people experiencing homelessness or who are at-risk of homelessness have fair and equal access to housing in suburban Cook County.
Individuals and families experiencing homelessness or who are at-risk of homelessness can access Entry Point throughout the region. Trained Entry Point staff at access locations work with households to understand their strengths and needs using a standardized assessment. Entry Point uses HUD homeless assistance eligibility guidelines and uniform prioritization policies to refer people to the right programs based on their preferences and levels of need.
Entry Point also helps suburban Cook County make the best matches between homeless assistance resources and the people who need them most.
Envision Unlimited’s Community Living Program
Envision Unlimited’s Community Living Program provides a variety of residential living arrangements and supports to adults with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Services are individualized and person-centered. The intent is to assist each individual to live in the community in a setting most aligned with his/her preferences and those of his/ her guardian. In-home respite is prioritized for individuals who are not receiving any other funded service and who are on the PUNS wait list.
Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois aims to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures and save lives. Its programs include epilepsy and seizure support services, home-based services, residential services, epilepsy education programs, support groups, Camp Roehr, a scholarship and more.
Its website also provides resources, including a New to Epilepsy Guide, a seizure calendar, a Professionals and Caregiver Guide, and more.
For questions or more information, please visit the Contact Page for the Southern Illinois Region Office and the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois for coverage information and phone numbers.
Eviction Help for Illinois Residents
Eviction Help Illinois is a non-profit organization providing free legal aid, mediation services and connections to other resources, including rental assistance, to increase housing stability. The goals of Eviction Help Illinois are to keep people in their homes and prevent foreclosures on rental property.
There are three ways to access the Eviction Help Illinois network. You can:
- Call the Eviction Help Illinois hotline at (855)-631-0811
- Visit the Eviction Help Illinois website
- Text “eviction” or “desalojo” for screening and intake to 85622
Services and resources are available in Spanish.
FACES: The National Craniofacial Association
FACES: The National Craniofacial Association is a voluntary, non-profit organization providing information, support and services, and financial assistance for medically necessary travel to children and adults throughout the United States with severe craniofacial anomalies resulting from birth defects, injuries or disease.
FACES financial assistance includes help with transportation costs, lodging, meals, toll fees, taxi/Uber fares, airfare, and, in some circumstances, rental cars. There are maximum limits per trip. Its application process looks at the whole picture, not just the numbers.
For any questions, please email Kim at kim@faces-cranio.org or call (800) 332-2373.