Chicago Resources
For National Resources, including Financial Literacy, Affordable Connectivity, Digital Literacy, or Health & Wellness, please visit our National Resources page!
Health & Wellness
They provide Wellness and Mental health services, Sexual violence support, women’s Health, Youth STEAM programming, Support services, Economic empowerment and child care provider services.
Promotes community wellness, break down barriers to mental health care and provide support and expertise for families, professionals and individuals
in Chicago and beyond.
Main Phone:
Help Line:
Address:
Lawrence Hall provides mentoring, restorative justice programs, and violence prevention programs
to the Chicago community.
In addition to recreation programming and workforce development.
Empowers families to learn,
to earn, to heal, to thrive. They provide emotional wellness programs for adults, youth and veterans and compassionate violence prevention programs.
In addition to educational programs, senior services, legal aid and both employment and housing assistance.
The Chicago Park District’s more than 600 parks offer thousands
of sports and physical activities
as well as cultural and environmental programs for youth, adults, and seniors.
The center provides mental health counseling to youth and families, career counseling, tutoring, and education programs in addition to community and employment support services.
Transportation
The CTA provides Chicago
travel information. Some riders, such as students and people
with disabilities, qualify for
reduced fares. There are also some
free ride programs
for those who qualify.
Phone:
The Active Transportation Alliance is a coalition of people who are working to make walking, biking, and public transit safe and equitable options for getting around Chicagoland.
Bike lanes, hybrid taxis, electric vehicle charging stations and mass transit are just a taste of Chicago’s sustainable transportation options. The City of Chicago provides a list of Chicago’s transportation resources.
Food Resources
A Just Harvest's food pantry is open every Wednesday from
3–5pm for pick-up! FREE and no documentation required, ever. Their Community Kitchen is open for a grab-and-go lunch from
12–2pm everyday of the week!
Search the
map to find free groceries or a hot meal at a food pantry, soup kitchen, shelter or mobile distribution in Chicago and Cook County. Use the map filters to find a food pantry that is open today or on the day that works best for you to visit.
Care for Real distributes free, fresh, nutritious food to neighbors in need five days a week through locations in Edgewater and Rogers Park.
Edgewater Address:
Rogers Park Address:
Phone:
Common Pantry serves Northern Chicago neighborhoods and distributes food on Wednesdays, from 1 – 4 pm and again from
6 – 8 pm, and Thursdays from
1 – 4 pm. Produce Day is the 3rd Monday of each month from 10 am – 12 pm (except for Jan).
Nourishing Hope provides a healthy and diverse range of groceries for our Chicago neighbors. We personalize food distribution – matching our guests with the food they want and need.
Affordable Housing
The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) offers affordable rental housing opportunities.
Financial and housing coaches partner with members to uncover possibilities, overcome barriers, and achieve their financial goals.
Phone:
CHAD provides quality, affordable, long-term rental housing to income qualifying, hardworking individuals and families who struggle to support themselves. CHAD offers below market rents to income qualified applicants.
Habitat for Humanity Chicago helps families and communities achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through housing, beautification and development projects.
Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly provides Senior Citizens with housing assistance, moving assistance and upkeep and repair assistance to help them live and thrive in their own homes.
Family Assistance
Start Early advances quality early learning for families with children, before birth through their earliest years, to help close the opportunity gap.
Illinois Action for Children is a catalyst for organizing, developing, and supporting strong families and powerful communities where children matter most. They offer assistance finding and paying
for childcare.
Family Focus helps Chicago-area families living in low-income communities to give their children the best possible start
in life.
Easterseals is leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access by enriching education, enhancing health, expanding employment, and elevating community.
Job Assistance
Helps ex-offenders find jobs and reenter the workforce after serving time. Helps with a variety of services including workforce training, housing and food assistance, and other things when necessary.
Westside Health Authority
5816 W Division St.
Chicago, IL 60651
Teamwork Englewood
747 W 63rd Street
Building V, Room 122
Chicago, IL 60621
One Summer Chicago helps youth find either seasonal or
year-round work by collecting employers and connecting them with applicants.
Government-sponsored site cataloging job opportunities
by zip code and keyword. Also provides assistance with
resume building.
Wholistic support with finding
a specialty, getting an interview, getting ready for the interview, finding clothes for the interview and job, and support with
related necessities, such as housing and food.
Financial Assistance
Each day throughout Chicago, The Salvation Army provides emergency and life-sustaining assistance with food, clothing, rent/mortgage, utilities, school supplies and furniture to individuals and families facing a financial crisis.
People who need cash
assistance may qualify for one
of several programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, SNAP and more. Apply online
to see if you qualify.
Phone:
If you find yourself in need of emergency shelter, rental, utility, and other crisis services, Catholic Charities is here for you. Financial assistance may be available for people at risk of eviction or
utility shutoff due to a short-term, one-time crisis.
Ladder Up offers free tax assistance, financial literacy programs, financial aid workshops and help managing finances and creating budgets.
Financial stress puts a heavy burden on many people.
Chicago Chesed Fund is here
to help alleviate the stress,
be it big or small. We service people in need and help those within our community.
Phone:
Email:
Address:
7045 N. Ridgeway Ave. Lincolnwood, IL 60712
CARE Chicago is a nonprofit helping citizens resist
credit abuse and learn about being more financially
literate, with workshops and free presentations
downloadable online.
Email:
Financial Literacy courses
and resources created in partnership with Chicago City Colleges; focuses on, among other things, paying for
college and finding a career.
Social justice organization that provides general support surrounding sexual violence, childhood support services,
STEM programming, and family services. They have recordings and resources specifically for financial education.
Local and national tips on how to become more financially literate, along with app suggestions that can help track spending habits. Some points that apply specifically to students or high schoolers looking to go to college.
Phone:
Address:
ACE Sullivan Center
for Student Services
1032 W. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL 60660
Education & Learning
826CHI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills and to helping teachers inspire their students
to write.
Bottom Line partners with degree-aspiring students from first generation and low-income backgrounds as they get into college, graduate, and go far
in life.
Chicago Youth Centers provides early learning, afterschool, and summer programs, youth ages 15 months to 18 years find joy in learning, grow socially and emotionally, and build skills for the jobs of tomorrow.
CircEsteem’s mission is to unite youth across all backgrounds and identities by fostering self-esteem and mutual respect through the practice and performance of circus arts.
At Girls in the Game every girl finds her voice, discovers her strength and leads with confidence through fun and active sports, health and leadership programs.