Food Resources
- Feeding Illinois
- Feeding Illinois is the state food bank association. We work with eight food banks that serve every county in Illinois through a vast network of partners.
- Find Food Illinois – Community Food Map
- Use the Find Food IL map to find places that are offering free food or meals in your community. You can also locate stores and markets that accept SNAP/LINK or WIC coupons. Plus, see the DHS or WIC office nearest to you.
Housing and Utilities
- Keep Cool Illinois
- The KEEP COOL ILLINOIS website offers a wide variety of tips for households to avoid heat-related health problems as well as how to save energy by lowering their electricity bills and find cooling centers throughout the state. The website also provides information about state energy assistance programs, including the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), other energy-related resources and information about resolving utility service complaints.
- Keep Warm Illinois
- The Keep Warm Illinois site was launched to help all Illinoisans – especially the elderly, families with small children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable residents – stay warm, healthy and safe this winter. The Keep Warm Illinois website offers a variety of tips for households and businesses to save energy and lower their utility bills, including a web-based tool to conduct a home energy audit. The website also provides information about state energy assistance programs and other energy-related resources as well as help in resolving utility service complaints.
- LIHEAP – Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
- For many Illinois households, energy costs place a severe and continuing stress on the family’s budget. In some instances, the household is forced to make painful decisions regarding which bills to pay and which necessities to survive without. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is designed to assist eligible low-income households pay for winter energy services. It is provided by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and implemented through Illinois Community Action Agencies.
- Housing Collaborative
- Housing Collaborative is a free, online, searchable database for tenants, landlords and housing agencies to list and find affordable places for rent or sale. You can search for housing based on price, Section 8, distance to public transportation and accessibility features like ramps, accessible parking and automatic door entry. Choose the city you want and then the accessible tab for accessible housing.
- IHWAP – Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program
- The Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP) is designed to help low income residents save fuel and money, while increasing the comfort of their homes. It is provided by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and implemented through Illinois Community Action Agencies.
- Illinois Department of Human Rights – Guidebook on Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications: A Guide for Housing Professionals
- In accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, this book provides guidance and clarification on the accommodations and modifications that must be made in housing for persons with disabilities and their family members.
- Illinois Homeless Shelters
Influenza and Public Health
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Influenza
- Illinois Department of Public Health – Seasonal Influenza Information – Information on seasonal influenza and where to get a flu shot from Illinois Department of Public Health.
- Influenza de temporada (gripe) – Information from CDC in Spanish
Medicaid and Disability
- Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) – A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Medicaid
- ASAN is proud to announce the release of our plain language resource “A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Medicaid.” This resource was developed in collaboration with the Autism Services, Education, Resources and Training Collaborative (ASERT), and with funding from the Special Hope Foundation. This resource is the third of several that ASAN is developing to equip self-advocates to participate in important conversations about our lives and the services we rely on.
- Community-Based Long Term Supports and Services – From Arc of the US
- Read about The Arc’s position on community-based long term supports and services.
- Department of Health and Human Services – Center for Disease Control and Prevention – National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities: A – Z Information
- The CDC works to identify the causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities, help children to develop and reach their full potential, and promote health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities. CDC also works to prevent injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, and their resulting disabilities.
- Health Care for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – A Toolkit for Primary Care Providers
- From Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. Our hope is that this website will give virtually every U.S. primary care provider electronic access to best practice tools, and thus will enable each physician to more readily serve adults with intellectual or other developmental disabilities.
- Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services – Client Enrollment Services Compare Plans Information
- Find health plans in the county where you live. Choose your county from the menu and compare the services each health plan offers.
- Illinois Department of Human Services Q & A Document on Medical Assistance, Medicaid, Medical Card & Health Insurance
- Answers to frequently asked questions including resources for “which doctor/dentists accept the medicaid card?”
- National Health Law Program (NHelp) Advocates’ Guide to Accessibility in Medicaid Managed Care Grievances and Appeals
- This Advocate’s Guide from Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Justice in Aging and National Health Law Program describes steps to take for implementing the new HHS regulations in a way to “ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to the grievance and appeal and State fair hearing systems ….”
Assorted Other Resources
- Dental Lifeline Network
- Dental Lifeline Network (formerly the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped) is a national humanitarian organization providing access to comprehensive dental services for people with disabilities or who are elderly or medically at-risk. Dental Lifeline Network provides these services through a national network of direct service programs that involve 15,000 volunteer dentists and 3,200 volunteer labs.
- National Marrow Donor Program
- The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) helps people who need a life-saving marrow or blood cell transplant. We connect patients, doctors, donors and researchers to resources they need to help more people live longer, healthier lives.
- NeedyMeds.org – Information you need to get your medicine!
- NeedyMeds is the best source of information for people who need help with the cost of medicine and other healthcare expenses. This site is like the Yellow Pages. We do not supply medications or financial assistance but we do provide information so you can find programs that will help you.
- Riddick’s Ride Lending Garage
- We offer families of individuals (children) with complex medical needs the opportunity to borrow durable medical equipment as well as medical supplies FREE of charge.
- UIC Specialized Care for Children – DSCC
- Information and resources from DSCC. We partner with Illinois families and communities to help children and youth with special healthcare needs connect to services and resources.
- UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation Medical Grants
- The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity dedicated to facilitating access to medical-related services that have the potential to significantly enhance either the clinical condition or the quality of life of the child and that are not fully covered by the available commercial health benefit plan. This “support” is in the form of a medical grant to be used for medical services not covered or not completely covered by commercial health benefit plans.