Resource Directory /

Financial Assistance and Grant Programs Resources

  • SAM’s Sweet Heart Memorial Foundation

    SAM’s Sweet Heart Memorial Foundation is dedicated to helping Illinois families with children with complex medical diagnoses.

    SAM’s Sweet Heart provides financial assistance to Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago county families with children under the age of 18 who have a medical condition requiring lifelong treatment. Local families may apply for a grant during open application periods.

     

  • Sangamon County Resource Guide

    The Sangamon County Department of Community Resources strives to improve the quality of life for people in-need in Sangamon County through department programs, services and referrals that promote economic stability and/or self-motivation.

    The department provides several resource guides that cover financial assistance, food pantries, health care, housing and more for the residents of Sangamon County.

  • Sarah D. Culbertson Memorial Hospital Health Profession Scholarship Program

    Sarah D. Culbertson Memorial Hospital (CMH) Foundation provides a variety of annual scholarship programs. Scholarships are available to high school seniors, college students, Connect Care participants, and CMH employees entering a healthcare-related field in high demand at CMH. The award amount may change from year to year. Information, applications and scholarship deadlines are available online.

    Foundation scholarship opportunities include:

    • The Elmer Hugh Taylor Health Profession Scholarship for high school seniors in Schuyler, Cass and South Fulton counties entering a healthcare-related field at CMH
    • The Regina Ehrhardt Scholarship for a Rushville-Industry High School or Brown County High School senior who is entering a nursing-related field of study that is currently available at CMH
    • The Career Connect Scholarship for any Rushville-Industry High School senior participating in Career Connect at CMH
    • The Future of Culbertson Scholarship for potential future employees obtaining a secondary education in a healthcare-related field of study that is currently available at CMH
    • The CMH Foundation Scholarship for full or part-time employees who are taking healthcare courses for a position that is considered a critical need at CMH

    If you have any questions, please call the CMH Foundation office at (217) 322-5269.

  • School Help for Homeless Children with Disabilities: Information for Parents

    The National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE (Supporting the Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness) provides this information for families experiencing homelessness who have children with special needs.

    This brief discusses common concerns and offers resources for additional assistance.

  • Self-Help Legal Assistance Clinic from Governors State University

    Governors State University’s Self-Help Legal Assistance Clinic (GSU-LC) provides free self-help legal assistance and non-legal resources to low-income Illinois residents navigating the court system without legal representation. The clinic’s team of attorneys, social workers and volunteers works under the supervision of a licensed attorney and social worker to increase access to legal services in underrepresented communities. GSU-LC offers pro se and free legal assistance in the areas of family law, immigration, housing and expungement, and can help with:

    • Understanding legal rights and laws
    • Filing depositions, settlement negotiations and court appearances
    • Reviewing and explaining court orders and filings

    For questions, contact GSU-LC at (708) 235-7553 or email legalclinic@govst.edu.

  • Sertoma Organization for People Affected by Hearing Loss

    Sertoma provides information and support to people at risk of or affected by hearing loss. National and local chapters across the United States support hearing health through a variety of programs and activities. Sertoma services include annual scholarships, access to amplified hearing devices, teen and college-level service programs, the “Adopt-an-Agency” program and more.

    Sertoma offers two scholarship programs:

    • The Scholarship for the Hard of Hearing or Deaf is open to students with clinically significant bilateral hearing loss. Graduating high school students or undergraduate students pursuing four-year college degrees in any discipline are eligible for the scholarship.
    • The Communicative Disorders Scholarship is for graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in audiology or speech-language pathology from institutions in the United States. The program awards these scholarships in the spring to help offset the cost of tuition, books and fees incurred during the following school year.

    See Sertoma’s website for eligibility requirements. The program accepts applications between Nov. 1 and March 31 each year.

  • Service Animal Resources

    The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission has a list of Service Animal Resources. Information includes Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, programs that provide animals and more.

    For questions, please contact the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission.

  • Share Our Spare

    Share Our Spare collects new and gently-used items for children ages 0-5 and donates them to low-income families living in Metropolitan Chicago. Items are not available directly: instead, Share our Spare reaches families in need by partnering with local social services organizations that provide their clients with needed social services such as parenting classes, early childhood education, housing referrals, job readiness training, and behavioral health services.

    Share Our Spare partners with social service agencies representing 120 zip codes in the following counties: Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, McLean, Will and Winnebago.

  • Shriner’s Hospitals for Children

    Shriners Hospitals for Children provides pediatric specialty care to children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries, and other special healthcare needs within a compassionate, family-centered and collaborative care environment.

    As a nonprofit healthcare system, Shriners Children’s aims to ensure treatment is available to all families, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status.

  • Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois

    The Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois provides resources, education and support for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) and their caregivers. Its website includes information about:

    • Current SCD treatment options
    • Virtual monthly support groups on Zoom
    • GroupMe app support groups (the app is for use on cell phones or computers)
    • SCD testing and newborn screening
    • Scholarships and camp opportunities
    • Events

    For questions, please contact the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois at (773) 526-5016 or sicklecelldisease-illinois@scdai.org.