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Emergency Community Services

 

Emergency Hotlines

Counseling
IL Mental Health Collaborative Warm Line
Phone: 1 (866) 359-7953
TTY: 1 (866) 880-4459

Domestic Violence
SSFS
Phone: 708-335-3028 (24 Hour Hotline)

Sexual Assault
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
Web: www.rainn.org
Phone: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) (24-Hour Hotline)

Suicide Prevention
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24-Hour Hotline): Phone: 800-273-TALK (8255)

This list of service providers is offered for those who need to seek resources quickly. It is not meant to replace the one-to-one help of a licensed counseling professional, and it is not all-inclusive. Every effort has been made to list accurate and current resources. Please report any changes to the Shannon Word, Personal Counselor at 708-709-3511 or at sword@prairiestate.edu, so that others may benefit from updated information. If you know of additional helping agencies, please help us update this list by contacting Shannon Word as well.

PSC's Advising and Counseling Center has licensed professional counselors available to assist during scheduled college hours. For more information and/or to schedule an appointment, please contact Shannon Word, NCC, LCPC, Personal Counselor at 708-709-3511 or at sword@prairiestate.edu.

Each individual's situation and eligibility are unique; not every agency can assist each individual.

  • Each agency or provider sets its own criteria for assistance.
  • Residency and income requirements are determined by each agency.
  • You may be asked to provide verification of your needs, as well as identification and proof of residency (driver's license; state I.D. card; current bill showing address) depending upon the agency's policies. This may include documentation of hardship; copies of bills; loss of income; etc.
  • Be prepared to provide required info that will qualify you for services.
 

Adoption

Childcare

 Clothing (job interviews)

Clothing (emergency need)

Counseling

Dental

Developmental Disabilities (Children 0-3)

Domestic Violence

  • Crisis Center for South Suburbia
    Phone: (708) 429-7255 (24-hour domestic violence hotline)
    Web: https://crisisctr.org/
  • South Suburban Family Shelter
    Phone: (708) 335-3028
    Phone: (877) 335-3020 (24-hour domestic violence hotline)
    Web: http://www.ssfs1.org/

Family Planning

  • For more information pertaining to family planning, please visit the Health Promotions’ webpage.
  • Aunt Martha’s
    Provides services such as family planning, case management, pregnancy testing, HIV/AIDS testing, breast and cervical cancer screens and a variety of other health screens and programs are available.
    Web: https://www.auntmarthas.org/health-care/#6

Food

  • Many churches offer food distribution, based on their own daily or weekly schedules.
  • Bloom Township Food Pantry
    The pantry features a client's choice style of food distribution including canned goods, dairy, meats, fresh vegetables and fruits. Once a month, eligible Bloom Township residents can choose their desired products from a list of available foods.
    Web: http://cityofchicagoheights.org/News.aspx?pageid=137&newsid=546&siteid=1
    Email: Leticia Gonzalez at LeticiaG@bloomtownship.org
  • Feeding Illinois Partner Agencies
    Locate your nearest Feeding Illinois partner agency and its hours of operations. Choose your county and narrow it down by entering your zip code.
    Web: http://feedingillinois.org/need/
  • Greater Chicago Food Depository Agency
    Enter a zip code to find a food pantry, soup kitchen or shelter in Cook County or scroll down and click on the map for an agency near you.
    Web: http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer?pagename=member_need_food
  • Northwest Indiana Food Pantries
    For pantry listings please contact the Food Bank at 219-980-1777. The agencies are located in the following communities: Lake County - Cedar Lake, Crown Point, East Chicago, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hebron, Highland, Hobart, Lake Station, Lowell, Merrillville, Munster, Winfield. PORTER COUNTY—Chesterton, Portage, and Valparaiso.
    Phone: (219) 980-1777
    Web: http://www.foodbanknwi.org/

Foreclosure Info for Tenants

General Assistance (see "multiple assistance" categories below)

Healthcare Services

Housing

Mental Illness

  • Nami South Suburbs of Chicago

    If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. There are many supports, services and treatment options that may help. A change in behavior or mood may be the early warning signs of a mental health condition and should never be ignored. There are many different types of mental illness, and it isn’t easy to simplify the range of challenges people face. For more information contact Marianne Bithos
    Phone: (708) 335-4008
    Web: http://www.nami.org/Find-Support
    Email: marianne.bithos@gmail.com

Multiple Needs - Case Assessment
Agencies which have case managers to assess all of your needs.

  • Ford Heights Community Service Organization
    Phone: (708) 758-2565
  • Catholic Charities
    Phone: (312) 655-7700
    Web: http://www.catholiccharities.net/ 
  • Respond Now
    food; utility bill assistance–show bills
    Phone: (708) 755-4357
    Web: http://www.respondnow.org/
  • Together We Cope

    The service area of Together We Cope is bounded by 87th Street on the north, Will-Cook Road on the west, 183rd Street on the south, and Western Avenue on the east (with the Mount Greenwood area excepted because it is part of the City of Chicago). Our service area includes the townships of Bremen, Orland, Palos, and Worth. We serve all of Alsip, Chicago Ridge, Crestwood, Evergreen Park, Hickory Hills, Hometown, Merrionette Park, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Posen, Robbins, Tinley Park, and Worth. Also serving parts of Blue Island, Bridgeview, Country Club Hills, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood, and Markham.
    Phone: (708) 633-5040
    Web: http://www.togetherwecope.com/

Other Agencies Providing Multiple Assistance

  • Salvation Army
    Food, shelter, utility assistance
    Phone: (708) 332-0100 Blue Island
    Phone: (219) 838-0380 Munster
    Web: http://www.salarmychicago.org/locations
  • Catholic Charities
    (food, clothing, counseling, emergency funding: non-denominational) 
    Address: 16100 Seton Dr., South Holland, IL 60473
    Phone:     (312) 655-7700
    Phone: (877) 426-6515
    Phone: (708) 333-8379
    Web: http://www.catholiccharities.net/gethelp.asp
  • CEDA
    (Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, Inc.) 
    Address: 1203 West End Avenue, Chicago Heights, Illinois 60411
    Phone: 800 571-CEDA (2332)
    Phone: (708) 754-4575
    Web: http://www.cedaorg.net/
  • Aunt Martha's
    (targeting youth/adolescents; women & children; offers health & prevention services; housing & shelter; intervention & support)
    Address: 233 W. Joe Orr Rd., Chicago Heights
    Phone:     708-754-1044
    Phone: (877) 692-8686
    Phone: (877) MY-AUNT-M
    Web: http://www.auntmarthas.org/
  • Shriver Center
    The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law provides national leadership in advancing laws and policies that secure justice to improve the lives and opportunities of people living in poverty.
    Web: http://www.povertylaw.org/publicbenefitsguide

Sexual Assault Hotline

  • Hotline Numbers (available 24 hours, seven days a week):
    Phone: 708-748-5672 (For the South Suburbs)
    Phone: 888-293-2080 (For the Chicago Metropolitan Area)

Sexual Health

Substance Abuse

  • South Suburban Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
    The South Suburban Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse has been providing affordable and effective chemical dependency treatment and rehabilitation to residents of the greater Chicago Southland community for over thirty years.
    Phone: (708) 647-3333
    Web: http://www.sscouncil.org/

Townships (not all townships are listed; most townships include high school districts) General and emergency assistance; food distribution; contact township where you reside.

  • Bloom Township Office
    (must be Bloom Twp. resident)Halsted St. (Across from PSC)
    Address: 425 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights 
    Phone:     (708) 754-9400
    Web: http://www.bloomtownship.org/
  • Bremen Township Office
    (must be Bremen Twp. resident) 
    Address: 16361 S. Kedzie Parkway,Markham, IL 60428
    Phone:     (708) 333-9530
    Web: http://brementownship.net/
  • Crete Township Office
    (must be Crete Twp. resident) 
    Address: 1367 Wood Street, Crete, IL 60417
    Phone: (708) 672-8279
    Web: http://www.cretetownship.com/
  • Monee Township Office
    (must be Monee Twp. resident)
    Address: 26121 Egyptian Trail, Monee, IL 60449
    Phone: (708) 534-6020
    Web: http://www.moneetownship.com/
  • Rich Township Office
    (must be Rich Twp. resident)
    Address: 22013 Governors Hwy., Richton Park
    Phone: (708) 748-6722
    Web: http://www.richtownship.org/ 
  • Thornton Township Office
    (must be Thornton Twp. resident)
    Address: 333 East 162nd Street,South Holland, IL 60473
    Phone: (708) 596-6040
    Web: http://thorntontownship.com
  • Washington Township
    (must be Washington Twp. resident; Beecher)
    Address: 30200 Town Center Road, Beecher, IL 60401
    Phone: (708) 94-2026
    Web: http://www.washingtontownshipil.com/