C.I.T.Y. News

Happy to (finally) be enjoying some warmer weather! (And, I’ve been waiting awhile to use this title, so just groan along with my corny play-on-words. :)

First of all, we want to thank everyone who participated in our Graduation Celebration. Whether you were a family celebrating your child’s successes, a sponsor contributing to our event funds, or a vendor generously providing your musical/face-painting/photography talents, or our committee/group of volunteers graciously donating your time, we are so appreciative of your participation. We had been dreaming of this event since we initially incorporated this organization, and it was so fulfilling for us to see these plans come to fruition. As one family said, they are already looking forward to next year (and so are we!).

In the meantime, we have so many exciting events and initiatives being planned. In addition to our social media forums, we encourage you to come out for some in-person community-building. We’d love to see you and your family and provide the opportunities for you to meet other families in your community who also have children in therapy.

We had so much fun at our First Annual Graduation Celebration!

Hope you can join us again next year!

We also we excited to introduce our 3 new board members to our C.I.T.Y. of Support:

As a reminder, all of our events are also listed on our Google Calendar and on the

C.I.T.Y. of Events tab on our website.

SUNDAY, JULY 14TH FROM 10:00 AM-1:00 PM (INDOORS)

AT THE ARLINGTON TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN PALATINE

Don't get me wrong, I love a good garage sale, but I get disappointed when I stop by a house and all I find are broken chairs and collectible ceramic cats. That's why, based on the suggestion of one of our members, we have decided to have a C.I.T.Y. Specialty Supply Sale all with items that would be useful for a child in therapy.

We have already received donations such as puzzles, a train table, building toys, adaptive ride-in cars, board games, elbow immobilizers, books, a Leckey chair, art materials, imaginative play sets, switch-activated toys, and even a Quickie Zippie pink wheelchair! We have the most generous community...everyone wants to see these special items be passed along to other children/therapists who could use them to work on important developmental skills. We are still collecting donations!!! If you would like to contribute your items, you can...

Visit us at the Arlington Toyota Dealership in Palatine during our Drop-Off Hours:

• The next 2 Mondays: (7/1 and 7/8) from 6-8pm
• The next 2 Saturdays: 7/6 from 9-11am and 7/13 from 4-8pm
  

Visit one of the many Collection Sites that are collaborating with us including:

• Arlington Pediatric Therapy in Arlington Heights
• CCS Pediatric Therapy & Family Wellness in Vernon Hills
• KGH Autism Services in Deerfield
• Autism Home Support Services in Arlington Heights and Northbrook
• Step Forward Therapy in Arlington Heights
• Central Speech and Language Clinic in Long Grove
• North Shore Pediatric Therapy in Evanston
• Therapediatrics in Vernon Hills
• KickStart Pediatric Therapy Network in Northfield and Libertyville
• Kidnectivity in Northbrook
• Midwest Speech Therapy in Roselle
• Cornerstones Autism Services in Oak Lawn
• Roots Autism Solutions & Therapeutic Academy in Buffalo Grove
• C.A.B.S. Autism and Behavior Specialists in Itasca

All of the items will be re-sold at garage sale prices with the proceeds from our sale going directly back to C.I.T.Y. of Support in an effort to help fund our free events and community initiatives. We also acknowledge the expense of some of these therapeutic items, and if you would rather consign your items (25% donation to C.I.T.Y.), you are welcome to contact us at: hello@cityofsupport.org to reserve a spot at our sale. Some local vendors will also be selling some items that are best purchased new (think: oral-motor tools!). A bake sale and D.I.Y. Card Kits will also be available for purchase, so it's sure to be a fun morning!

We hope that this fundraiser not only helps us manage our operating costs, but that it also provides a sort-of recycling service where members in our community can connect and search for other relevant items for their children, especially as they outgrow their current items. Parents and therapists most welcome (as are volunteers)!

SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 4TH FROM 10:00-11:00

On a quarterly basis, C.I.T.Y. of Support sponsors "Great Therapy Playdates" at therapy clinics across the various regions of Chicago. These coordinated, open-house style playdates are held at the same day and time among different locations, which rotate based on availability and interest. Children in therapy and their siblings can play in the fun, inclusive space and parents can mingle, all while exploring valuable clinical resources in the community.

For our next Great Therapy Playdate on Sunday, August 4th from 10:00-11:00 am, we have clinics in TWO regions who have confirmed their ability to host. It is possible that other regions may be added; however, currently registration is open for:

• Northwest Suburbs: Play and Say Therapy - 6553 N. Avondale Ave. Chicago, IL 60631
• North Suburbs: Autism Home Support Services - 85 Revere Drive, Suite AA. Northbrook, IL 60062

Registration is required as space is limited.

Use our eventbrite link to reserve your spot today!

And clinics, if you would like to be added to our list of potential Great Therapy Playdate host sites, please contact us at: hello@cityofsupport.org, and join our professional email list.

WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 28TH FROM 6:00-8:00

LOCATION TBD!

PLEASE NOTE! This event is currently pending a confirmed location. We have hosted events in Arlington Heights, Deerfield, and Palatine in the past.If your site/region is interested in providing us with a complimentary location in which to host this event (or another in the future!), please contact us ASAP at: hello@cityofsupport.org.

C.I.T.Y. of Support is committed to fostering the sharing of knowledge from a variety of perspectives. Our Roundtable Series provides professionals and parents an opportunity to share their experiences in an informative, but casual/friendly environment (snacks provided too). Questions, discussions, and one-on-one conversations will be encouraged towards the end of this adult-only event.

The third of four topics in our 2019 series is called "Therapy Hacks for Busy Families." We will be encouraging interactive discussions and opportunities for creative thinking and hands-on learning throughout this event in order to talk about common ways to incorporate "therapy" into everyday routines (i.e. grocery shopping, mealtimes, chores around the house). Come to hear what our knowledgeable panel and attendees can share from their own personal experiences, learn some tips and tricks, and find support resources within our community. This event is applicable for both parents and professionals, and Early Intervention continuing education credits are currently pending approval.

Registration is required through this Eventbrite link, although this event is FREE for parents. We hope to live-stream this conversation on Facebook for those who are unable to participate in-person, encouraging virtual participation as well.

NORTHWEST SUBURBS: ARLINGTON HEIGHTS MEMORIAL LIBRARY:

As always, we are meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of the month (7/9) for our “Developmental Playgroup.” We are also continuing to offer a more adult-focused group called “Caregivers, Coffee, and Play” on the 4th Sunday of the month (7/28). Come join us and meet other families in the neighborhood.

**OTHER REGIONS**

We are continuing to research other neighborhood options in the North, West, South, and City locations that will help to accommodate more families. We are especially interested in partnering with other local libraries in those areas. If you are interested in helping to facilitate these types of events near you, please feel free to contact us at hello@cityofsupport.org.

***In honor of our first C.I.T.Y. Specialty Supply Sale, we want to know what particular item you are most hoping to find at our sale. (We'll keep our fingers crossed for you!)***

Simply find the #READITTOWINIT post in our Facebook Group, write your response (one comment per person, please!), and you will be entered into a random drawing to win a $25 gift certificate to the C.I.T.Y. Specialty Supply Sale on Sunday, July 14th! (And with everything sold at garage sale prices, just think what you could score!) A winner will be randomly drawn at 5:00pm on Friday night, July 5th via FB Live.

So happy to report that our pilot program, "Welcome to our C.I.T.Y." has officially BEGUN!!!

A huge "thank you!" to the members of our C.I.T.Y. who participated in stuffing over 350 welcome gift bags. With all your help, we got it all done in about an hour...whew! These bags are going to be distributed to new families being discharged from the hospital/follow-up clinics with recommendations for therapy services. Included in the bag is a beautiful book ("I Love You Like Sunshine"-donated by the Friends of the Library program at the Arlington Heights Library), personal note from a C.I.T.Y. member, a keychain/small pouch to hold specialists' business cards, information about Early Intervention, and, of course, our C.I.T.Y. information.

Boxes of 50 gift bags were recently delivered to 3 hospitals in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, with re-stocking available when needed. We are so thankful for the partnership of the following NICU departments to help this initiative get started:

• Alexian Brother's Women & Children's Hospital in Hoffman Estates
• Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights
• Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge

And, as we've said from the beginning, with additional interest, volunteers, and funding, we hope to be able to expand this program to even more regions around Chicago!

We want to see photos of C.I.T.Y. of Support around town! Does your clinic proudly display the monthly snapshots of information/events? If not, make sure they have signed up for our professional email list to receive the most up-to-date news.

Does your clinic need more business cards/brochures/flyers? We have a ton! Increasing our visibility in the community is one of our main initiatives this year. We'd love your help and welcome your emails: hello@cityofsupport.org.

These card kits continue to be a "best seller!" They are available through our website, and they can be mailed to you quickly! With "Thank You/Thinking of You/Happy Birthday" themes, they are relevant year-round and serve as a perfect gift for someone special, especially at the end of the school year (family, friend, teacher, therapist). These cards are a great fundraiser for our C.I.T.Y., as they promote a fun, developmentally-challenging activity for parents to complete with their children and they provide joy to others. Plus, at only $5 each and all the materials provided, it's a great value. (It's hard to find a generic card at the store for much less than that!) Visit our website to place your order!

Have you noticed this new addition to our Facebook Group? Starting the first day of each month, we are creating a post titled our Resource Round-Up. In order to make it easier for our members to find upcoming resources/special events, businesses/organizations are asked to COMMENT on this monthly post, rather than creating many different separate posts. The consistent title ("Resource Round-Up") makes it easy to search, and it helps ensure that our newsfeed doesn't become overwhelmed with event posts, as the purpose of our Facebook Group is to facilitate discussions and interactions among members.

REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMENTING ON OUR "RESOURCE ROUND-UP" POST:

• Local Event (Chicago or Surrounding Suburbs)
• Applicable for Our Community of Parents/Families
• Event Is Within 6 Months of Current Month's Post
• Must Specify the Sponsor of the Event
• Only One Comment Per Event On the Monthly Post
• Not more than 3 Comments Per Business/Organization Per Month

Thanks for helping us develop our Resource Round-Up!

C.I.T.Y. of Support continues to add clinics, professionals, businesses, and organizations each month to our C.I.T.Y. of Professionals Directory on our website. A listing in this directory is not only a fundraiser for our organization, but it is also great advertising for service providers and easy access for families as consumers. We ALL win here.

Email: hello@cityofsupport.org to learn how to be included in this new resource.

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: www.cityofsupport.org
Location: 800 E. Northwest Highway, Suite #109, Mount Prospect, IL 60056
Phone: (224) 409-7150
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cityofsupport/
Twitter: @cityofsupport