Social Services Resources
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.
Springfield Mass Transit District and Access Sangamon
The Springfield Mass Transit District provides free or reduced fare programs for eligible residents with disabilities and seniors. You must meet eligibility requirements and enroll to use the Benefit Access, Access Sangamon or Reduced Fare ID programs. For the latest information, visit www.smtd.org/news.
- Benefit Access allows program members to ride any fixed-route bus free of charge. If you do not qualify for Benefit Access, you may still be eligible for a reduced fare ID. Apply for the Benefit Access program online on the Illinois Department on Aging’s website.
- The Reduced Fare ID allows people with disabilities and seniors to ride any fixed-route bus for just under half the price of a normal fare.
- Access Sangamon provides transportation for persons with disabilities who are unable to use the SMTD fixed-route bus service. Individuals with disabilities must apply to become eligible to use the service.
Springfield Office of Community Relations Resources
The Springfield Office of Community Relations provides information on where to find help with homelessness, rental and utility assistance, micro-pantries and more.
You can also contact the Springfield Office of Community Relations at (217) 789.2270 or Community.Relations@springfield.il.us
Suburban Cook County Homeless Prevention Call Center
If you need financial assistance with mortgage, rent payments, rent deposits, utility payments or other housing issues, please call the Homeless Prevention Call Center at 1-877-4-Cook-15 (1-877-426-6515).
Listen carefully to the prompts to choose which kind of help you need.
The Diaper Bank of Southern Illinois
The Diaper Bank of Southern Illinois serves as a central location to collect and store donated diapers. The Diaper Bank partners with local service agencies to distribute diapers to low-income children and their families.
To request diapers, the Diaper Bank of Southern Illinois requires that the agency has an ongoing relationship with the client and has screened for need. Agencies may contact diaperbanksi@gmail.com or call (618) 549-2148, ext. 110.
The Neighbor Project (TNP) is a nonprofit, HUD-Certified Housing Counseling Agency dedicated to helping low to moderate-income families in Aurora reduce debt, build credit, save and ultimately buy their first homes.
The Southwest Collective Resources for Families in Chicago
The Southwest Collective is an open forum for southwest side residents to voice their concerns, learn about resources and connect with opportunities and fun specific to the southwest side of Chicago. Resources include “Freebies for Families” events, small business support, providing food to people in high-need areas, weekly free art classes at De Colores Ice Cream & Coffee Shop in Archer Heights, little free libraries and more.
These resources are specific to the southwest side of Chicago.
Youth and Family Center of McHenry County
The Youth and Family Center of McHenry County (YFC) is dedicated to helping people help themselves through a variety of programs and services. YFC can help families with registering for child care and food assistance, understanding and translating documents, and finding financial, mental health and employment services. YFC also provides after-school and summer programming, adult education and engagement programs, bi-cultural navigation services, a community garden, English classes and more.
You can review the center’s flyer, provided in Spanish and English, for more information.
You can schedule an appointment online or call the main office in McHenry at (815) 322-2357. Please provide a full name and phone number to receive a callback.