Medical/Health and Wellness Resources
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.
El Valor is a non-profit, community-based organization serving children, people with disabilities and their families in the Chicagoland area. El Valor offers education programs focusing on early education, inclusion, employment and self-sufficiency for individuals of all ages with different abilities.
It also provides families a variety of enrichment opportunities including certification classes, first aid, parenting seminars and family support groups. Services are available in English and Spanish.
For questions, please contact El Valor at (312) 666-4511, TTY at (312) 666-3361 or info@elvalor.net.
Emergency Preparedness Planning for Families and People with Disabilities
Ready.gov provides emergency preparedness tools and information to help families before, during and after disasters. This site includes:
- Step-by-step checklists, tips and individual considerations important to planning for people with disabilities and their families
- Ready Kids age-appropriate materials for helping children and teens be prepared rather than scared
Resources are also available in American Sign Language (ASL) and other languages including Spanish, simplified and traditional Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
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.
EP!C (Empowering People. Inspiring Capabilities.)
Empowering people. Inspiring capabilities. ( EP!C ) serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. EP!C helps individuals with disabilities at all levels achieve their goals and live their lives to the fullest by providing a range of programs and services including:
- Educational services
- Community living services
- Employment services
- EP!Casso art program
- Healthcare supports
EP!C provides services to individuals in central and some southern Illinois communities.
The Epilepsy Advocacy Network (EAN) seeks to optimize the quality of life of individuals with epilepsy and seizure disorders by promoting community education and awareness, self-advocacy and empowerment, and helping all individuals gain proper access to care. EAN services and supports include:
- Case coordination (epilepsy)/assistance with education services
- Clinic visits
- Support groups
- Financial, transportation and medication resources
- Yearly camp for people ages 8 to 24 with epilepsy
- Seizure response training
It is an affiliate agency of the Epilepsy Alliance of America.
For questions, please contact EAN online or call (815) 846-0881.
Epilepsy Alliance America is a national organization providing support, care and service to those with epilepsy, their families, caregivers and communities. The organization’s services and supports include:
Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline
The Epilepsy Foundation’s Epilepsy and Seizures 24/7 Helpline has trained information specialists to help answer your questions about epilepsy and seizures and provide you with help, hope, support, guidance and access to national and local resources. You can access the helpline in several ways:
- Online Help Form
- Phone (English): (800) 332-1000
- Phone (en español): (866) 748-8008
The helpline serves people living with epilepsy, caregivers and friends of someone with epilepsy and anyone who wants to learn more about epilepsy. It can provide information about current epilepsy treatment and alternative therapies, medication questions, support groups, seizure first aid, emotional support and more.
Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago is a not-for-profit organization serving 44 counties in Illinois. It offers education, advocacy and case management to people living with epilepsy, their families and the communities in which they live.
The foundation’s client services include case management, programs for children and adults, epilepsy centers, support groups, employment, medications, and driving and transportation.
Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois’ Camp Roehr
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois (EFGSI) hosts an annual, overnight camp for children and teenagers with epilepsy. Camp Roehr provides campers ages 6 to 17 with seven days of fun, building friendships and learning about living with epilepsy. Camp registration typically begins in mid-April. Participant requirements include:
- Living in Illinois or surrounding states
- Having a primary diagnosis of epilepsy and well-controlled seizures
- Being able to care for their own basic needs and ready for an overnight camp experience
For questions about Camp Roehr, please contact EFGSI at (618) 236-2181 or info@epilepsygsil.org.