Resource Directory /

Medical/Health and Wellness Resources

  • Strong Family Alliance

    Strong Family Alliance’s mission is to save lives and preserve families by helping children come out and parents become informed supporters and allies.

    The alliance strives to give parents and LGBTQ people accurate information, insights on this challenging transition for both parents and children, ways to keep LGBTQ children safe and healthy, and encouragement for parents to lead with love and solve problems over time. Its website includes parent guides and resources.

  • Summer Meals Program

    The Summer Meals Program and Illinois No Kid Hungry collaborate with national and state partner organizations to provide free meals during the summer for children and youth who depend on school lunches during the school year. Meals are available throughout Illinois for children and youth ages 18 and under.

    To find a meal site near you:

    There is no income requirement to participate in open-site summer meal programs.

    Certain summer meal sites, such as camps or closed programs that require an application to participate, may ask about income during the application process.

  • Sunshine Foundation

    The Sunshine Foundation helps make dreams come true for children ages 3 to 18 who have severe or profound illnesses or conditions. Referrals can come from anywhere in the United States for children with severe or profound physical/developmental/intellectual challenges or trauma from physical/sexual abuse and whose families have limited income.

    Dream requests can include:

    • Staying at the Sunshine Foundation Dream Village and visiting area theme parks and attractions
    • Funding towards a special gift or item of interest
    • Funding towards medical or adaptive equipment that insurance may not cover

  • Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills Tip Sheet

    This Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills tip sheet from the Illinois Early Learning Project provides strategies that are helpful to all children but are particularly helpful for those with limited verbal skills.

    IEL offers a wide variety of one-page, easy-to-read tip sheets covering a wide range of topics for parents and teachers of young children.

    All tipsheets are available in Spanish and English. Selected tipsheets are available in Polish, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and French.

  • Survivor Empowerment Center

    The Survivor Empowerment Center provides a safe and secure environment for southern Illinois domestic violence survivors and their children.

    The Center provides free, confidential services around-the-clock, 365 days a year to domestic and sexual violence survivors. Women, men, adolescents and children from Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Perry, Saline, Williamson, Union and Gallatin counties are welcome.

    Help includes:

    • A 24/7 hotline
    • A safe place/shelter away from an abuser
    • Counseling
    • Education and training
    • Assistance through medical, reporting and legal procedures

  • T.O.U.C.H.

    The Organization for Understanding Congenital Hearts (T.O.U.C.H.) provides support and information to empower families, children, youth and adults with congenital heart defects.

    For additional information, contact touchhearts365@gmail.com

  • Take N.O.T.E. of Learning Differences

    Take N.O.T.E. is an initiative developed by Understood in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics. It aims to help parents identify the signs of learning or thinking differences in their children.

  • Talking to Children About Racial Bias

    The “Talking to Children About Racial Bias” page from HealthyChildren.org provides information on understanding how racial bias works in children as well as strategies to help them deal with and react to racial differences.

  • Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other Traumatic News Events

    The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents, teachers, child care providers, and others who work closely with children to filter information about crises and present it in a way that their child can accommodate, adjust to and cope with. HealthyChildren.org provides information on where to start and how to provide the right support in this article, “Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other Traumatic News Events.”

  • Talking with Children During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides a tip sheet for caregivers, parents, and teachers on talking with children during infectious disease outbreaks.

    SAMHSA tip sheet provides information for toddlers to teens and includes:

    • Possible reactions
    • Talking with children and youth in different age groups
    • Supporting children and managing their responses
    • Self-care
    • More resources