Health Condition and Disability-Specific Resources
Cook For Love is a nonprofit organization providing support, resources and education to individuals, families and clinicians managing phenylketonuria (PKU). The site empowers members of the metabolic disorders community to improve their health through cooking and education.
Cook for Love’s website includes:
- Recipes for creating low-protein foods
- Information about low-protein products to keep in your pantry
- Step-by-step instructions
- Videos for making meals and treats
Create Your Own Communication Card
The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission developed the Communication Card to provide individuals with hearing loss a simple way to inform others of their communication needs and list the name and contact information of their preferred communication provider. You can create your very own personalized Communication Card on their website.
Cued Speach Program for Families of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children
Cue College’s Cue Family Program provides a free, online Cued Speech class to families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
Cued Speech combines a small number of simple hand cues with the natural mouth movements of speech to make the sounds or “phonemes” of spoken language clear through vision alone.
The Cue Family Program includes free access for one year to the online Cue College course, “CS100 – Introduction to Cued American English – Self Study”, for parents, guardians, additional family members and caregivers of a child with hearing loss or other communication challenges.
The Danny Did Foundation works toward its mission to prevent deaths caused by seizures with these main goals in mind: advancing public awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), enhancing the SUDEP communication model between medical professionals and families afflicted by seizures, and the mainstreaming of seizure detection and prediction devices that may assist in preventing seizure-related deaths.
The Danny Did Foundation’s grant program does provide financial assistance for purchasing seizure detection and seizure prediction devices to qualifying individuals.
Dare2tri is a nonprofit specializing in adaptive sports. It encourages recreation, racing and competition while cultivating a sense of community for all athletes who are not labeled by physical ability but rather their determination and will to succeed.
Dare2tri offers free training opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities and visual impairments throughout the year for children and adults. Its programs include:
- Play for All at Chicago Children’s Museum
- Kids Tri Camp for youth ages 6 and up
- Learn 2 Tri beginner-level training camp
- Multisport clinics and more
Day One Network (CFC #4) Early Intervention
Provides resources and support for children 0-3 with developmental disabilities in Kane County.
1551 E Fabyan Parkway
Geneva, IL 60134(888) 282-0997
Dean Ritter Foundation Scholarship for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The Dean Ritter Foundation Scholarship for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 annually to graduating high school seniors throughout Illinois who have severe to profound hearing impairments. Individuals with financial needs will receive special consideration, but the program does not make scholarship decisions solely on a financial basis. Application deadlines and the number and amount of scholarships vary each year.
Students must be continuing their education at an accredited university or technical school to receive tuition scholarships. They must also:
- Be an Illinois resident
- Be a senior in high school in good standing
- Have significant (severe to profound) hearing loss in one or both ears
Everyone’s ability to make decisions changes across a lifetime including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The Arc’s Center for Future Planning created this handout to help individuals with IDD and their families learn how to make, review and adjust a decision-making plan throughout a person’s life to maximize their ability to make their own decisions.
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have the same right to make decisions about their lives as people without disabilities. It is important to recognize and respect that right.
This handout from The Arc’s Center for Future Planning provides information about available supports to help people with IDD to make decisions.
Developmental Disabilities Employment
The Illinois Department of Human Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) seeks to maximize opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to work in competitive integrated employment.
The resources on this website provide the latest information on the Division’s efforts toward employment for people with developmental disabilities. It includes a list of DDD Supported Employment providers that also provide employment services funded by the Division of Rehabilitation Services. The list aims to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities understand the option available to them when searching for an employment supports provider.