Medical/Health and Wellness Resources
Shady Oaks Camp is a non-profit, non-denominational, volunteer-driven organization serving children and adults with a wide range of disabilities. The summer camp provides fun activities, field trips and learning for individuals ages 5 and older. Campers must have an active Shady Oaks membership to attend camp.
See the Shady Oaks’ FAQ page for more information. For other questions, please contact soc16300@sbcglobal.net or (708) 301-0816.
Share Our Spare collects new and gently-used items for children ages 0-5 and donates them to low-income families living in Metropolitan Chicago. Items are not available directly: instead, Share our Spare reaches families in need by partnering with local social services organizations that provide their clients with needed social services such as parenting classes, early childhood education, housing referrals, job readiness training, and behavioral health services.
Share Our Spare partners with social service agencies representing 120 zip codes in the following counties: Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, McLean, Will and Winnebago.
Sibling Grief and Bereavement Toolkit for Children and Teens
The Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition’s (PPCC) Sibling Grief and Bereavement Toolkit aims to address the needs and concerns of children and teens who have experienced the death of their sibling with medical complexities. The toolkit provides information to help adults understand how children and teens may process their grief and how to provide comfort to help them heal.
The toolkit can help with:
- The many feelings siblings might experience
- Therapeutic activities families can do together
- More resources for encouraging and guiding conversations
Sleep Help for Individuals With ASD
Autism Speaks offers parents helpful tips for establishing good sleep hygiene and tool kits targeting sleep strategies for children, teens and adults on the spectrum.
SNAP Online Purchasing Program
The Illinois Department of Human Services is offering online purchasing for more than 1.8 million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) customers across a million households.
Online SNAP will give families easier access to food during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. Busy parents will no longer have to stress about how they can pick their kids up from school and make it to the grocery store before dinner. And those working multiple jobs or the late shift won’t have to rush to make it before the store closes. All families will have another option to independently secure the food they need.
Spanish Language Resources for Families & Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Hands & Voices (Manos y Voces): Unbiased parent-to-parent support and Spanish-language resources for families and children who are Deaf or hard of hearing.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (La Asociación del Habla, Lenguaje y Audición): The organization provides Spanish-language information for the public and families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Gallaudet University (Resources for Hispanic Deaf and Hard of Hearing Population): Resources providing contacts, publishers/distributors, and online links to assist Spanish-speaking individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Special Camps Overnight Camps for Children, Youth and Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Special Camps provide opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities to experience overnight camp. Special Camps are volunteer-run and offer trained staff and 24-hour nursing for children and adults with disabilities who could not otherwise attend a similar camp due to physical, medical or developmental needs. Financial scholarships are available to campers in need.
Campers can make friends, increase independence and try new activities. Special Camps take place each year at Camp Red Leaf in Ingleside.
Camp registration typically opens in early February. For questions, please contact Colleen McDonald at (630) 690-0944 or colleen.scamps@icloud.com.
Special Education and Inclusion in Early Care and Education
The Illinois Early Learning Project provides this Special Education and Inclusion in Early Care and Education resource list for early childhood special education and inclusive childcare for children ages 3 to 5 years old. The resources include tip sheets on choosing child care for infants and toddlers, choosing a preschool, inclusion in preschool classrooms and special education assessment for preschool-aged children.
Special Education Assessment Tip Sheet and Resource List
Family members and early care and education providers are adults who notice when the children in their care may have disabilities or developmental delays and would benefit from special education services.
The Illinois Early Learning Project’s Special Education Assessment tip sheet series is a helpful tool for learning more about the steps in that process. The IEL also provides an Assessment for Special Education resource list.
Equip for Equality has a toll-free Special Education Helpline to help families get appropriate education services for their children. The Helpline can assist by providing:
- Someone to talk to about your questions and concerns
- Information sheets on frequently asked questions
- Sample letters and forms
- Referrals
- Other assistance as needed
Contact the Helpline at 1-866-KIDS-046 (1-866-543-7046) or specialed@equipforequality.org.