C.I.T.Y. News

Children of ALL diagnoses deserve a time to be acknowledged and celebrated, and that's what this month is all about! Instead of hosting a large in-person resource fair, we are turning our focus and efforts on connection and unity. Read below for more information about plans for our first "We Love Our C.I.T.Y" Month, and we look forward to your participation!

We have created a Celebration & Awareness Month for all. The month of February is for recognizing you and your child, whether he/she has a well-known, less-known, or unknown diagnosis. We hope to come together to increase the public's awareness of and acceptance for those seeking therapeutic resources. Let's help guide new families to find support systems in our community. We hope parents and professionals alike will use this month as an opportunity for education, advocacy, reflection, and celebration within their own networks.

Anyone can participate! Parents, therapists, professionals, family, friends, and community members are all encouraged to WEAR physical signs of support & solidarity with our "We Love Our C.I.T.Y." temporary Facebook Frames and our "We Love Our C.I.T.Y." buttons (for display on your coats/bags). Many clinics/offices in the neighborhood have reserved their own collection of buttons for you, so ask the manager if they are participating. We have several public button distribution sites, so you can also stop by one of the locations listed above. We hope you'll SHARE our weekly "Did You Know/Writing Prompts" within your own social circles to help initiate conversations and create a productive dialogue with those not already in our community. Let's come together to acknowledge ALL the inspiring children who work so hard in therapy and the amazing families who support them.

Be sure to check our social media channels this month for the latest details.

Like/follow us on our public Facebook page for shareable content, and participate in the

personal and interactive discussions in our closed Facebook group.

Join us at our next Virtual Happy Hour: Friday, Feb. 12th at 8:00pm. All are welcome at this quarterly event! We'll chat about our latest Collaborative Blog Post topic: "Accommodations for Learning at Home," and then we'll see where the conversation takes us. RSVP with this Facebook Event link, and those who mark "Going" or "Interested" will receive the zoom link the day of the event. If you aren't on social media, just email your RSVP to: hello@cityofsupport.org.

Come meet some new friends and reserve an hour just for you.

Thank you to those who shared their advice and expertise on this hot topic with our C.I.T.Y! Read blogs, find resources, and learn strategies from parents and professionals all easily compiled in this one publication. Our quarterly Collaborative Blog Posts are easy to find on our website, so families can have access to a plethora of information with a simple search. Let's continue to work together to make these resources rich and substantive for those seeking answers. Look for our next topic in the next few months and see what you can contribute!

Meet Noah! His family received a sensory-friendly family photo session this past month with Something Blue Photography, courtesy of C.I.T.Y. of Support. His proud mom says:

""After an extraordinarily difficult year in the public school system, we enrolled Noah in therapeutic school and it was the absolute best decision, ever. Through carefully crafted sensory support, behavior intervention, and—most importantly—kindness and acceptance, we’ve seen an unbelievable amount of growth in Noah. From the ability to self-regulate; to a seemingly explosive use of expressive language; and even a new willingness to try unfamiliar foods, our family will be forever indebted to the wonderful community of therapists and medical professionals that support Noah every day. Noah’s special interest is anything heart-shaped (especially pink heart-shaped beads!), and it is so fitting because he is the epitome of unconditional love. Noah is unapologetically himself, pink hearts and all, and he is the true light of our lives."

NOTE THE FAST DEADLINE:

Comment on January's C.I.T.Y. Close-Up post in our Facebook Group featuring Noah by Wednesday night, 2/10 at 11:59 pm for YOUR chance to win a photography session in March! A winner will be randomly selected and announced on Thursday, 2/11.

C.I.T.Y. of Support is thrilled to be able to provide this opportunity to our members, and we are grateful to Something Blue Photography for their support. If any local businesses are interested in co-sponsoring this program with us, we would love to hear from you!

Just email: hello@cityofsupport.org

Parents: Sign your child up to participate in this fun, FREE program, and he/she will receive a handmade birthday card in the mail from another child who receives therapy services. What a fun way to make early social connections and celebrate everyone. Our Google Form is quick, easy, and secure, so take a minute, and register your child today!

Clinics/Schools: Reserve a month for your patients/students to participate in this program. We have a Sign-Up Genius where you can find all the details and select your month!

Our mission is to create a dynamic community, both online and in person, that supports all families navigating the needs of their child in therapy, regardless of diagnosis.

Email: hello@cityofsupport.org
Website: www.cityofsupport.org
Location: 733 Hastings Drive, Buffalo Grove, IL, USA
Phone: (224) 409-7150
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/cityofsupport
Twitter: @cityofsupport