Social Services Resources
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides essential tools and support to help survivors of domestic violence so they can live their lives free of abuse.
Contacts to The Hotline can expect highly-trained, expert advocates to offer free, confidential, and compassionate support, crisis intervention information, education and referral services in over 200 languages.
Call (800) 799-SAFE (7233) or (800) 787-3224 (TTY). You can also text “START” to 88788 or chat live on The Hotline website.
National Domestic Violence Hotline – Staying Safe During COVID-19
Information on how COVID-19 could uniquely impact intimate partner violence survivors and safety tips for survivors.
Northeast Community Fund in Decatur
Northeast Community Fund helps families in the Decatur and Macon County community with food, clothing, household goods and funding for utility payments, obtaining IDs, baby formula and wipes, emergency lodging and prescription medicines. The organization’s food pantry provides monthly food baskets to those in need. It also operates a microfinance program and a program for families to work with a staff member and mentor to achieve short- and long-term goals to move towards self-sufficiency.
Oswegoland Park District Financial Assistance
The Oswegoland Park Foundation donated $25,000 to the Oswegoland Park District to help fund the district’s financial assistance program. The program enables families experiencing financial hardship to receive reduced fees for park district programs.
Visit the Oswegoland website for more information about available financial assistance.
Project Connect Pandemic Helpline for People With Disabilities
The Arc of California and the Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare have partnered to offer Project Connect, a free telehealth support line for individuals with disabilities, their families, direct support professionals, and others who support individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
The Project Connect support line is staffed by graduate students in the School of Social Welfare and supervised by licensed social workers. The graduate students are able to offer a wide range of support services including counseling, wellness checks, depression screening and referral to community services.
Call the 24-hour support line at (888) 847-3209.
Protecting Renter and Homeowner Rights During Our National Health Crisis
The National Housing Law Project has put together a list of resources regarding renter and homeowner rights during the COVID-19 national public health crisis.
RentAssistance provides a directory of rental assistance agencies and organizations that will help you pay your rent. Some listings are government organizations other are non-profits and charities that offer rental assistance programs.
Each organization has its own eligibility rules and conditions and you are encouraged to call directly to find out what you need to do.
Renter and Homeowner Resources from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPD) offers a variety of resources for homeowners and renters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Available resources include information about relief programs, tenant rights, assistance for landlords, mortgage assistance, rent assistance, utility assistance and more.
This resource directory from the Illinois Early Learning Project provides contact information, descriptions of programs, state agencies, and non-profit organizations in Illinois that provide support for families of young children experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
The directory includes food resources, housing resources, clothing and diaper resources and more.
Resources for Immigrants During the COVID-19 Crisis
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights created this comprehensive guide to address the needs of the immigrant and refugee community in the state of Illinois.