Family Resources in Illinois

Dial 2-1-1 to connect with local food pantries, emergency food distributions, and family assistance anywhere in Illinois. Available 24/7.

Serves Cook County with 700+ partner agencies. Find food pantries, mobile distributions, and summer kids' feeding sites using their interactive locator.

Serves 26 Central Illinois counties including Peoria and Springfield. Food pantries, mobile markets, and BackPack programs for kids in local schools.

Apply for monthly food assistance at ABE.Illinois.gov or your local IDHS office. Benefits loaded to a Link card (EBT) accepted at grocery stores statewide.

Free healthy food, nutrition support, and breastfeeding help for IL families with infants and children under 5. Apply at your local health department WIC site.

Active community for homeschool families in the Chicago metro. Co-op classes, field trips, social events, and curriculum swaps for secular and inclusive families.

Statewide faith-based homeschool organization offering legal guidance, legislative advocacy, a statewide convention, and co-op directory for Illinois families.

Large active group connecting Illinois homeschool families statewide. Local resource sharing, co-op listings, legal Q&A, and community support.

Illinois has one of the most homeschool-friendly legal environments. No registration or notification required. Homeschools are treated as private schools. Must teach branches of education taught in public schools in English. No testing or assessment requirement.

Annual convention in Cincinnati serving IL, OH, IN, and KY families. Hundreds of curriculum vendors, workshops, and community speakers. Highly recommended for new homeschoolers.

Free and low-cost after-school sports leagues, arts programs, and enrichment activities at 600+ parks across Chicago.

Free after-school programming, homework help, STEAM activities, and events at 80 branch locations across Chicago.

After-school programs, enrichment, and summer camps at 20+ Chicago-area YMCAs. Financial assistance available for qualifying families through their Open Doors program.

One of the world's great art museums. Free admission year-round for all Illinois residents under 14, and free for Chicago teens year-round.

One of the largest science museums in the world. Illinois residents receive free admission on select days. Check their website for current free day schedules.

All Illinois State Parks and Recreation Areas offer free admission. Explore Starved Rock, Shawnee National Forest, and 300+ sites statewide at no cost.

Chicago's iconic public park featuring the Cloud Gate (Bean), Crown Fountain, and free family programming year-round including summer concerts and ice skating in winter.

Illinois All Kids provides health coverage for all uninsured children regardless of immigration status. Comprehensive coverage on a sliding scale based on family income.

Subsidized childcare for working or school-attending Illinois parents. Apply at your local IDHS office. Income-based eligibility with a sliding scale co-pay.

Temporary cash assistance for low-income Illinois families with children. Apply at your local IDHS office or online at ABE.Illinois.gov.

Help paying utility bills for low-income Illinois families through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Apply at your local community action agency.