General Resources
Child & Family Connections of McHenry County
Child & Family Connections (CFC) is the starting point for the referral of children under 36 months of age to the Part C Early Intervention Service System in McHenry County. Early Intervention services are designed to meet an infant’s or toddler’s needs if they are experiencing issues related to five specific areas of development: physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional and adaptive.
For more information, click on the brochure in English or Spanish.
Childproofing Your Home Toolkit
As you welcome a new baby, prepare for toddlerhood or relocate to a new home, it is important to provide a safe environment for your child. The Illinois Early Learning Project put together this Childproofing Your Home Toolkit that includes general guidance, helpful checklists, videos and additional resources.
Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs in Emergencies
All children have unique needs in emergencies, but care for children with special healthcare needs is often more complex because of their various health conditions and extra care requirements. They may have a hard time moving from one place to another, urgent or constant medical needs, difficulty communicating or have trouble with transitioning to different situations. A disaster can present all these difficulties at once.
The CDC provides information on how to prepare and respond so you can help maintain calm and keep your family safe.
Children’s Burial Assistance (CBA) helps families honor their deceased children with a decent and proper burial. Families without life insurance or money saved to bury their deceased child, ages 1 through 17, may be eligible. CBA resources include:
- The “What To Do – The First 48 Hours of Your Child’s Death” guide
- A database of service providers
- Burial plots, urns and other in-kind gifts to offset the cost of a burial
Parents, legal guardians or family members may apply online for assistance. Please note: CBA does not provide financial assistance for funeral service fees or grave markers. Visit the CBA website for more details.
Chinese American Service League
The Chinese American Service League (CASL) is a nonprofit agency with 40-plus years of experience educating youth, caring for seniors, training the workforce, placing immigrants on the path to citizenship and securing the housing and financial wellbeing for families and individuals in the Chicago Chinese community and beyond.
CASL has programs centered around children and youth development, senior wellness and independence, employment and financial empowerment, community and family wellbeing, Center for Social Impact and legal services.
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by advancing innovative research and improving quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis.
The website includes the ability to search by zip code or location to find local resources and organizations that support people living with paralysis at www.christopherreeve.org/get-support/resources-in-your-area.
City of Peoria Ramp and Housing Assistance Programs
The City of Peoria provides a variety of housing programs to help community members fix their properties, stay in their homes for longer and buy a home. Programs are available to help with:
- Emergency replacement of broken water heaters and furnaces
- Housing rehabilitation
- Ramp and roof programs for eligible homeowners
- Down payment assistance
Claire’s Place Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis Support
Claire’s Place Foundation is a non-profit organization providing support to children and families affected by cystic fibrosis (CF).
Its programs are focused on creating a better quality of life for people and their caregivers as well as emergency funding assistance during long hospital stays. Its programs include an Extended Hospital Stay Grant Program and the Support Families and Resources Program.
Coloring Pages for Caregivers
UIC’s Division of Specialized Care for Children has created adult coloring pages to help caregivers relieve stress and practice mindfulness. Four designs are available in English and Spanish:
Lighthouse (Lighthouse Spanish)
Sunflowers (Sunflowers Spanish)
The Secretary of State’s Office offers an Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Communication Wallet Card to help notify law enforcement that a person may have difficulty communicating. Applicant’s may request the wallet card at any Illinois Secretary of State Driver’s License Facility.
The wallet card is available to notify law enforcement in advance that a person may require alternative methods of communication in order to respond to and communicate with an officer.