General Resources
Etiquette: Interacting with People with Disabilities
People with disabilities are individuals with families, jobs, hobbies, likes and dislikes, and problems and joys. While the disability is an integral part of who they are, it alone does not define them.
RespectAbility offers tips and resources to educate the public about etiquette and interacting with people with disabilities. Featured information includes:
- A disability sensitivity training video from the D. C. Office of Disability Rights
- The United Spinal Association’s Disability Etiquette booklet (Spanish) (Chinese)
Every Step of the Way Resource Center for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Every Step of the Way (ESW) takes a hands-on, person-centered approach to providing support, networking opportunities and resources for individuals with mild to profound intellectual disabilities ages 20 and up and their parents/caregivers. ESW seeks to create a community where parents/caregivers in Chicago can:
- Find resources for recreation, education, health (mental and physical), social and daily living skills, and behavioral intervention services
- Network with each other
- Brainstorm and collaborate to create programming and develop opportunities for their adult children
- Advocate and network to accommodate the needs of their adult child and the adult children in the ESW community
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.
Exceptional Children’s Charities
Exceptional Children’s Charities provides resources to benefit exceptional children with special needs in Chicago’s Southland.
The charity can provide financial support to supply wheelchairs, stand-up chairs, medical supplies, special learning tools and adaptive technology devices to foster learning and improve day-to-day life. Assistance can also be provided for medical and dental bills that are not covered by insurance or public aid.
Family Connections with Pediatrics
“Family Connections with Pediatrics” is a series of family-written blogs summarizing research articles in Pediatrics Journal. Each blog explains the “scientific literature” findings and what they may mean for families, including:
- Examples of how the findings apply to real-life situations
- Suggestions for ways that families and healthcare professionals can work together for the health and well-being of children and families
Family Economic Mobility Toolkit
The “Family Economic Mobility: Taking Charge of Your Future” toolkit offers families help to set financial goals and create action plans for tracking progress. The toolkit includes a series of videos and an online resource guide with links to agencies and support programs.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children and Families provides the toolkit.
Family Voices “My Language, My Care” Language Access Rights and Services Course
Family Voices’ “My Language, My Care” is a free online, plain language course to help increase awareness, understanding and use of language access rights and services for families whose preferred language is not English. The course is available in English, Spanish, Chinese and American Sign Language.
Family Voices’ My Language, My Care course will provide:
- An understanding of their rights under the law
- Information about interpreter confidentiality
- Tools to advocate for high-quality language access services in the healthcare setting
- A certificate of completion after finishing all six modules of the training course
- Access to a free toolkit with information from the course in English, Spanish and Chinese
Fathering a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Child: An Onboarding Checklist for Dads
The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Parent to Parent Committee developed a checklist written by fathers of children who are deaf or hard of hearing(D/HH) for dads or any person who feels that they fulfill this role in a child’s life.
“Fathering a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Child: An Onboarding Checklist for Dads” provides information and action steps to support and encourage fathers to take an active role in every aspect of their child’s life from the start. The guide shares information from a dad’s perspective on topics including:
- The ” new dad” learning curve
- Language and communication
- School and legal rights
- Well-being
Together, Fifth Street Renaissance/Springfield AIDS Resource Association (SARA Center) in Springfield assists individuals and families in difficult situations in reclaiming their self-sufficiency and well-being. It provides resources, transitional housing, opportunities to develop job skills and education, and help in securing employment. The organization also helps individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS find affordable housing, medical assistance and counseling.
Fifth Street Renaissance/SARA Center also works to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDs through education, awareness and prevention.
Find Food – We Got You Illinois
The We Got You Illinois website’s Find Food mapping tool provides help in locating free groceries, meal programs and other support programs throughout Illinois. Map filters can also help you find organizations that are open on a day that suits your schedule best.
You can also explore the We Got You Illinois website to learn more about: