C.I.T.Y. News

One of C.I.T.Y. of Support's core beliefs is that "all children should be celebrated." As professionals and parents, sometimes we can focus on all that a child is "not yet" doing during therapy sessions or get lost in comparing a child to others his/her age. Yet, the kids in our C.I.T.Y. work harder than most at achieving their goals, and we want to be sure to formally recognize all they have accomplished!

This is the month to celebrate! Not only have we continued to follow-through with our playgroup, education, and event goals, we are implementing our initiatives, and welcoming some new members to our board of directors. C.I.T.Y. of Support is so proud of what we have accomplished in the past year, and we would love to celebrate EVERYONE at our Graduation Celebration this month (see below for details!). Hip hip hooray!

(And, after our productive Education Roundtable about ways to make "Navigating Family Outings in the C.I.T.Y." the most successful, we are prepared with some great strategies.

If you missed the discussion, search for the Live Stream in our Facebook Group.)

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.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 15TH FROM 3:00-6:00pm

BUEHLER YMCA IN PALATINE

Because every child is graduating from something...

Has your child graduated from one/more of his/her therapy goals? A year in school? A piece of equipment? A discipline of therapy? A developmental milestone? Let’s celebrate!!

Our event committee has reserved a large, indoor area at the Buehler YMCA in Palatine (the largest YMCA in Chicagoland) with its own climbing structure and enclosed imaginative play space. With support from local businesses, clinics, and organizations, we are hosting access to this engaging play environment, food and drinks, and a performance stage which will host our live music concerts and graduation ceremonies all at NO COST for parents. All graduates will also receive a medal with their name and a brief description of their graduation achievement to commemorate the afternoon.

Additionally, we are thrilled to have the space to feature extra stations including arts/crafts, balloon twisting, face-painting, cotton candy creations, professional graduation photo opportunities, and a make-your-own trail mix bar (all included with the purchase of a reasonable $5 wristband per child). We are working hard to create a memorable experience for the children in our C.I.T.Y. and their families (of course siblings are welcome to attend as well!). We are hoping that you will share in the excitement and register soon to reserve your spot!

Local businesses, clinics, and organizations: we welcome your collaboration as always! If you have not already done so, be sure you have added your information to our professional email list, so that you receive relevant collaborative opportunities, such as this past email which details how YOU can help participate in our upcoming graduation celebration.

Special shout-outs to:

• Prospect Music Therapy and Dynamic Lynks for providing the family entertainment
• Therapediatrics for hosting a TEAM as a Colorful Coordinator
• Bright Futures Chiropractic & Cornerstones Autism Services for sponsoring activity stations

**There are still plenty of sponsorship opportunities should your clinic/business/organization wish to be included in this exciting new event! Simply email us at hello@cityofsupport.org

for more information. Thank you for your support!**

Based on a recommendation from an active C.I.T.Y. of Support member, we are pursuing our first Specialty Supply Sale. We understand that the developmental toys and therapeutic tools/equipment your children have used in therapy has special meaning. They have helped your child, and oftentimes, you would like to see them passed on to other children who might benefit. Well, here's your chance!

We are graciously accepting gently-used developmental toys/books/music/movies, therapeutic materials/toys, adult resource books, and specialized tools/equipment. Stuffed animals and clothing are NOT being collected (unless they serve a therapeutic purpose). We are fortunate to have the support of many different clinics serving as Collection Sites around the area 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

**If you do not see your clinic on this list, please talk with them/us about ways to be included as a Collection Site for our C.I.T.Y. Specialty Supply Sale!**

Simply drop off your donations at one of these Collection Sites, and one of our volunteers will pick them up in preparation for our sale. If you have many items to donate and/or a large item that will not fit in the boxes, feel free to stop by the Arlington Toyota Dealership directly during one of our weekly drop-off times:

• Every Monday from 6-8pm between 6/3-7/8
• The weekend before the event on Saturday, 7/6 from 9-11am
• The night before the event on Saturday, 7/13 from 4-8pm

All of the donations will be re-sold (at garage sale prices) with the proceeds from our sale going directly back to C.I.T.Y. of Support. We also acknowledge the expense of some of these 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 the costs of providing free events to the community, 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)!

NORTHWEST SUBURBS: ARLINGTON HEIGHTS MEMORIAL LIBRARY:

As always, we are meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of the month (6/11) 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 (6/23). Come join us and meet other families in the neighborhood.

SOUTH SUBURBS: SATURDAY, JUNE 29TH at 9:30AM:

Facilitated by Jennifer Blaszyck, a parent and C.I.T.Y. member, on the last Saturday of every month at the Little Something Extra Bakery and Cafe in Oak Lawn.

**OTHER REGIONS**

We are continuing to research other neighborhood options in the North, West, 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. Thank you!

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.

We are very close to assembling these gifts and distributing them to three NW suburban hospitals as a pilot program. We have received the cellophane bags, keychain/business card holders, information about C.I.T.Y. of Support, and several handwritten letters from parents who wish to share their experiences of having a child who receives/received therapy services. We are waiting on a shipment of books to arrive, and then we'll be ready to assemble and distribute, which means...

Volunteers are wanted! Keep an eye out for a gathering where we will lovingly pack these items into gifts for new parents entering the world of therapy. And as always, if you would like to contribute your story in the form of a handwritten letter, it would be very much appreciated. A sample is included below.

Think: what were your initial reactions? What did you expect? What has your journey been like? What advice can you share? We do not expect you to share your personal identifying information, as we have complete respect for your privacy. We do hope, however, that this heartfelt, handwritten letter will be a source of encouragement, hope, and motivation for the new parents in our community.

To contribute your letter, please either scan and email letters to: hello@cityofsupport.org or mail them to our office address at:

800 E. Northwest Highway, Suite #109 in Mount Prospect, IL 60056.

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.

Speech and Language Pathways is a specialized occupational and speech therapy practice located in Mount Prospect, IL. Our collaborative family-centered process integrates evidence-based treatment methods while working closely with caregivers to provide the most effective treatment plan for the whole child. Check us out at www.slpathways.com, email info@slpathways.com, or call 847-268-3799

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