C.I.T.Y. News

In the month of March, we have our typical monthly events planned, but no show-stopping, time-consuming, and ground-breaking events...phew! The event committee and I can definitely use a little break! However, our previous month (February) deserves some well-deserved reflection, and our upcoming month (April) is stocked with special events. You'll want to read below to mark your calendars, hear about the progress towards our initiatives, and find ways that YOU can participate!

This volunteer-run organization only works with, well, volunteers. I feel so lucky to have found some truly remarkable people, who generously contribute their time to the efforts of our C.I.T.Y. Whether Julie is coordinating speakers, Ellie is securing continuing education credits, Joan is creating card kits, Shelly is designing beautiful signs, Dana is writing letters to families being discharged from the hospital, or Sara is managing 10 spreadsheets at once, our volunteers make this C.I.T.Y. run. (And these are just a few!) Thank you for believing in our mission, and for your contributions!

Our very first family-friendly Valentine's event: We Love Our C.I.T.Y. was a huge success! Thanks to the generous donations from our event sponsors In2Great! Pediatric Therapy and Autism Home Support Services, we were able to provide this event free-of-charge! We welcomed close to 80 children to the We Rock the Spectrum gym that Saturday morning (plus their parents), where they rotated between 17 different stations with hosts from a variety of local businesses/clinics/practices sharing their resources and enthusiasm.

Between the trampoline, the zip line, the photo booth, the face painting, the art projects, the delicious treats, and the amazing raffle prizes, the morning was filled with excitement and community-building. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and we appreciate your interest and participation in this brand-new event! According to our survey, an overwhelming majority of attendees would come again, and 100% of the station hosts would want to participate in the future. So...our event committee has taken lots of notes, welcomed feedback, and (believe it or not), has already started working on preparations for next year's event! We will let you know more details about ways to share in the love as next year's event approaches.

We also welcomed a dynamic panel of speakers for the first of our (4) Roundtable Discussions planned for 2019. This discussion was called: "The Ins and Outs of IEPs," and we filled the space around the table with many people driving to participate in person. Diagnosticians, school representatives, parent advocates, therapists, and parents were all able to share their experiences, answer questions, and provide advice about the somewhat-confusing IEP process. We were even able to live-stream the conversation within our closed Facebook Group (although I apologize for the sideways orientation!!). Thank you to the fearless volunteers who shared their stories and the strong participation of our attendees. There truly wasn't a single lull in the conversation. Due to the wonderful feedback, we are considering making this particular topic an annual event.

As always, if you have ideas for specific topics, you are always welcome to e-mail your suggestions to: hello@cityofsupport.org.

As always, all of our events are 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 (3/12) for our "Developmental Playgroup" (previously-known as the Early Intervention Playgroup). And, due to the great turnout this past month, we are going to continue to offer a more adult-focused group with "Caregivers, Coffee, and Play" on the 4th Sunday of the month (3/24). Come join us and meet other families in the neighborhood.

SOUTH SUBURBS: SATURDAY, MARCH 23RD 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. Thank you for your patience!

FRIDAY NIGHT, APRIL 12TH FROM 7:30-10:30

The Arlington Heights Junior Women's Club has chosen OUR organization to be the beneficiary of their annual spring fundraiser (which is known for raising a significant amount of funds!). We are humbled by their generous gesture, and we would love to have members of C.I.T.Y. of Support at the event to show our appreciation, so mark your calendars!

Their invitation says: "Join us in the Exclusive Cellar Room at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant for an evening of great wines and giving! Enjoy a variety of unlimited selected wines and appetizers while helping raise money for C.I.T.Y. of Support! Tickets can be purchased at www.ahjwc.org or at the door."

SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL 14TH 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, April 14th from 10:00-11:00 am, we have clinics in FOUR regions who have offered to host:

City of Chicago: Kids on the Grow - 2157 N Damen Ave #2C, Chicago, IL 60647
Northwest Suburbs: Arlington Pediatric Therapy - 3105 N Wilke Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60004

West Suburbs: CCS Pediatric Therapy & Family Wellness - 10 W. Phillip Road, Suite 103, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
West Suburbs: Positive Behavioral Connections - 2323 Naperville Rd #265, Naperville, IL 60563

Registration is required as space is limited. Use our eventbrite link to reserve your spot today!

If you were in the area, hopefully you saw our display at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library (or see above with the first picture in the newsletter). This display was featured for the month of February, helping to increase our visibility and reach more members of our community. Additionally, we are planning to continue promoting our C.I.T.Y. of Support by participating in several community events including:

• NEIGHBORHOOD PARENTS NETWORK DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES RESOURCE FAIR

Sunday, March 31st from 10:00-2:00 at DePaul College Prep

• AUTISM SPEAKS WALK

Sunday, April 28th at 8:00am at New Trier High School

Please stop by our table and visit us if you are planning on coming to these events!!

We are looking for handwritten letters from parents who wish to share their experiences of having a child who receives/received therapy services. Looking back, 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 story, 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.

Your letter will accompany information about C.I.T.Y. of Support, a small keychain to keep important business cards handy, a new book to share with their child, and helpful new parent coupons. For more information regarding our 3 initiatives for 2019, please refer to our website under the tab "C.I.T.Y. of Outreach."

In2Great! Pediatric Therapy, Ltd. is a family owned and operated pediatric therapy clinic. In2Great! is a collaborative multidisciplinary practice, offering occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, behavioral health/social work support, social skills groups for all ages, parent groups, and therapeutic summer camps. EXCITING NEWS: In2Great! Is now offering a therapeutic preschool/kindergarten program (2 or 3 day options, AM or PM classes available). Check out our website for more information on any of our therapies or programs: www.in2greattherapy.com OR call us today for more information: (847) 777-8995.

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.

Email: hello@cityofsupport.org
Website: www.cityofsupport.org
Location: 800 East Northwest Highway, Mount Prospect, IL, USA
Phone: (224) 409-7150
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cityofsupport/
Twitter: @cityofsupport