C.I.T.Y. News

This month we are counting down the days to our exciting, re-vamped "We Love Our C.I.T.Y." event. Why are we so head-over-heels about this particular event? The mission of C.I.T.Y. of Support is "to create a dynamic community, both online and in person," and this event is the complete embodiment of our work. As we continue to emphasize, this inclusive event was designed for EVERYONE:

• Parents/Caregivers? Imagine a warm, indoor, FREE event in the winter that not only entertains your children, but also introduces you to other families, provides you with access to relevant community resources, and offers hands-on education opportunities (with limited, but FREE, childcare available!)

• Children/Siblings? Get ready to participate in our interactive obstacle course/fun fair, where you collect Valentine's cards/prizes/treats at EACH station. With games, art projects, family-centered music & movement activities, snacks, and a raffle designed just for you, it's bound to keep you entertained!

• Professionals? How about 3 (incredibly affordable) hours of continuing education through the IL Early Intervention Program (currently pending approval!) that have a direct, functional impact on your therapy sessions, classrooms, and patients' lives? Learn how to incorporate music & movement into your bag of tricks, and understand more about why this is so important. Have some anecdotes/questions to bring to the discussion? Great! This is a dynamic and interactive learning opportunity with plenty of hands-on demonstrations...no zoning out in THIS class!

• Local Businesses/Clinics/Organizations? Not only will you have DIRECT, face-to-face contact with members of our community by participating in our interactive resource fair, you will be treated to an early-morning complimentary breakfast where you can meet other local resources and FURTHER increase your networking impact. Your participation and sponsorship donations go directly back to funding events/outreach campaigns for our nonprofit organization. We appreciate all of your support!

Register for SOME or ALL of the day's activities by clicking on our eventbrite link...can't wait to share the love with you on Sunday, February 16th!

Do you have any creative ways to work on therapeutic skills during the cold winter months? Any great books, games, arts & crafts, or outdoor/snow activities (brr!)? These collaborative blog posts are the perfect opportunity to share your experiences and contribute your ideas, and they will benefit our entire community! Parents, professionals, and community members are all welcome to participate, so please submit your ideas! Fill out this super-simple form, and the board will select our favorites!

Let's create a list that will give us all some inspiration during these sometimes-dreary, cold winter months. Please submit your ideas by FRIDAY, 2/21, so that they can be included in our

March Newsletter!

WIN 10 RAFFLE TICKETS FOR OUR "WE LOVE OUR C.I.T.Y." EVENT (AVAILABLE ONLINE OR IN-PERSON)

Simply search for the February #READITTOWINIT post in our Facebook Group. Write your response to our question (one comment per person, please!); and you will be entered into a random drawing. If you are NOT on Facebook, please email your response to hello@cityofsupport.org. The drawing will take place via Facebook Live on Friday, February 14th at 5:00pm, and the winner will be notified either via Facebook Message or via Email.

February's Comment Topic:

***This is our easiest yet!! Simply tag a partner/loved one in the comments with a corresponding emoji that best describes your relationship. Tag each other, and you double your chances!***

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.

NORTHWEST SUBURBS: ARLINGTON HEIGHTS MEMORIAL LIBRARY:

As always, we are meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of the month (2/11) 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 (2/23). 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.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26th from 12:00-3:00

Due to your feedback, we are moving this event from the summer to the spring. This event benefits everyone: parents and professionals! It's an easy way to donate developmental and therapeutic toys/tools/materials/equipment that you no longer use and find new items at significantly reduced-prices, all while helping to raise funds for our C.I.T.Y! And, due to the generosity of Arlington Toyota in Palatine, we will have exclusive access to their beautiful, indoor space again.

This event's success depends on the involvement of volunteers. Please let us know if you will be able to help. Check out our SIGN-UP genius link for ways to contribute! Although this event isn't until April, we are already beginning to collect donations at a few locations, since many of us are cleaning out our collections after the holidays. Special thanks to our collection sites: Kick Start Pediatric Therapy Network (Libertyville and Northfield), Arlington Pediatric Therapy (Arlington Heights), Kidnectivity (Northbrook), and We Rock the Spectrum (Palatine).

Stay tuned for more information as the date approaches!

In this Chicago Tribune Article (1/24/2020), the author, Darcel Rockett, explains how Maria was chosen as one of 10 librarians in the nation to receive the “I Love My Librarian Award” from the American Library Association. Upon a recent visit to our January Developmental Playgroup, Rockett says, "Papanastassiou and speech therapist Beth Deiter run a twice-a-month developmental play group at the library for differently-abled children and their families. The play group serves children with visible needs, such as Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, and those with invisible needs, including language delays, as well as their siblings.

(Maria) is excited about using her win as a platform to share with other librarians the importance of listening to one’s community, finding out their needs and trying to fulfill them. She said it’s “so doable.” Papanastassiou’s work has helped families with diverse needs find a home at the library, according to Deiter, who was one of the people who nominated her.

Papanastassiou has yet to receive her prize money, so she said she doesn’t quite know what to do with it, but she will be making a donation to C.I.T.Y. of Support. And Deiter announced that C.I.T.Y. of Support will be making a $10,000 donation to the library to create an accessible collection of toys and materials that can be checked out for free by families who want to try out the items.

“Libraries are the perfect place for these families to come and experience everyday routines. With early intervention services, the therapist is working in your home, working in your natural setting, and libraries are a natural extension of that,” Papanastassiou said."

Child First Behavior Therapy is a provider of Applied Behavior Analysis therapy for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Our new center located in Arlington Heights, IL, offers immediate daytime appointments, so you can help your child build positive social behaviors starting today. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit us online at www.childfirstbehaviortherapy.com or call (224) 206-5001.

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