C.I.T.Y. News

It's the last newsletter of the year, and we are READY for 2021. May it bring hope, health, and togetherness. Even if we have to physically distance ourselves for a few more months, C.I.T.Y. of Support is here as always. We strive to be that place you can turn to for an in-person and online community that values connection, collaboration, and celebration.

Reflecting on the past year, although we were faced with many challenges, we are proud of how we adapted to meet the needs of our members. We created new opportunities for live conversations in our Virtual Happy Hours. We hosted several special online events including Virtual Panel Discussions, Saturday Morning Family-Fun Classes, and our annual Rockin' Shoppin' Holiday Gift Event. We even found a way to use our virtual platform to host one of our favorite events, the annual Graduation Celebration that formally acknowledges our children's accomplishments (big and small!).

We encourage you to take 2 minutes to watch our re-cap of this extraordinary year...you may even catch a glimpse of yourself in the video below!

C.I.T.Y. of Support is thriving, despite the global pandemic. We have become a trusted, safe, and welcoming place for families to navigate the needs of their child in therapy, regardless of diagnosis.

Thinking ahead to this coming #GivingTuesday (Dec. 1st), we hope you will consider selecting C.I.T.Y. of Support to be the recipient of your donation this year. Our young organization has been supported entirely by volunteers for the past several years. Our modest fundraising efforts have been helpful in covering our basic operational costs, but in order to expand our impact and bring our dynamic community to other local neighborhoods, additional funding/support is required. Please know that ANY contribution to our organization will be of great significance and appreciation. Donations are being collected through our Facebook Campaign and C.I.T.Y. of Support's website.

Thank you for being a vital member of this special community.

Join us for a casual discussion among parents, professionals, and friends who understand. We could all use some time to unwind with adults, especially as we prepare for the holidays! No topic or pre-set discussion will be planned...just a format for decompressing from STRESSFUL times. All are welcome!

In order to best prepare for the size of the group, we ask that you please RSVP using THIS public Facebook Event (or email if you are not on social media: hello@cityofsupport.org). All those who have replied that they are "Interested" or "Going" to the event will receive a Private Message with the zoom link on the day of the Happy Hour by 4:00pm. If we have large numbers of guests, we will plan to split into smaller breakout rooms in order to keep the conversation manageable.

Hope you can join us for our last Virtual Happy Hour of 2020!

Meet Clare! Her family was gifted a sensory-friendly family photo session this past month with Something Blue Photography in Arlington Heights! Her proud mom says:

"Clare has had to work hard her entire life to get her body to do what she wants, but we are so proud of all the small successes that she has achieved. She’s starting to get the hang of sitting, learning how to clap, and can pick out Yes and No cards for simple questions. She is obviously highly motivated and eager to pick up new skills."

NOTE THE FAST DEADLINE:

Comment on November's C.I.T.Y. Close-Up post in our Facebook Group featuring Clare by Wednesday night, 12/9 at 11:59 pm for YOUR chance to win a C.I.T.Y. Close-Up photography session. A winner will be announced on Thursday, 12/10. We love hearing about your successes, and we appreciate all the amazing parents who share their stories with us.

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

This program is starting in January, and you don't want to miss out! Sign up to participate in this fun, FREE program, and your child 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!

We love compiling advice from our C.I.T.Y. members into Collaborative Blog Posts. It's a great way to share resources and highlight your expertise. We have a special blog about "Handling the Holidays" during this overwhelming year, and we also have some ideas for gift-giving from last year's blog. We hope you'll continue to collaborate with us as we create these quarterly publications.

We had a great time at our 3rd Rockin' Shoppin' Holiday Gift Event! This was presented virtually this year with over 50 vendors from all around the country. Anyone could participate, and we were thrilled with the response. With so many vendors who graciously donated gift cards, we had over 50 winners (some lucky enough to win more than one raffle!).

We were especially touched that the winner of our Grand Prize Raffle (a weekend away in Lake Geneva during Winterfest 2021) went to a local family whose son receives multiple therapies. It turns out the weekend of the planned getaway is also the weekend of their son's birthday, so they will be able to make his celebration especially memorable despite the pandemic.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this annual event. With the exception of Giving Tuesday, this one of the primary ways in which C.I.T.Y. of Support raises funds for our organization, and we hope to continue with this annual tradition next year!

If you missed our Rockin' Shoppin' Event, C.I.T.Y. of Support still has you covered for the holidays. These adorable D.I.Y. card kits come with everything you need to create a personal, fun, (and therapeutic!) card with your child. Therapists, teachers, and family members especially love receiving these these extra-thoughtful notes this time of the year. Visit our website to place your contact-free order soon, so they can be delivered in time for gift-giving!

NSPT IS OFFERING VIRTUAL INTAKES FOR NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING! Save yourself a trip to the clinic while staying safe. We promote the utmost safety and can get your results in as little as two weeks. Please reach out with if you have concerns on any learning disabilities or Autism. Our Neuropsychologists are available for complimentary phone screenings to discuss appropriate next steps. Visit nspt4kids.com or call 877-486-4140 to book your appointment today!

Want to have your business/practice/clinic/organization featured in one of newsletters?

Contact us at: hello@cityofsupport.org to inquire about our limited number of advertisements and sponsorships available each 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: cityofsupport.org
Location: 733 Hastings Drive, Buffalo Grove, IL, USA
Phone: (224) 409-7150
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/cityofsupport
Twitter: @cityofsupport