COVID-19 Resources for Individuals and Families in Illinois

Information and resources to aid communities.

March 26, 2020

Last updated November 5, 2021

Here are links to information and useful resources to aid communities seeking support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will update this page frequently. Learn more about the Shriver Center’s COVID-19 advocacy for systemic change.

COVID-19/Coronavirus Information
Child Care
Criminal Justice
Disability
Domestic Violence
Economic Impact Payments
Employment/Unemployment Compensation
Food
Healthcare
Housing
General Lists of Resources
Immigrant Communities/Public Charge
Justice-Involved Individuals
Legal Aid
LGBTQ
Mental Health
Public Benefits
Social Security
Technology/Internet
Utilities
Vaccine

COVID-19/Coronavirus Information

Illinois Department of Public Health Information About Coronavirus
In English and Spanish

Child Care

Resources for Families with Young Children
[Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development]

Resources for Providers
[Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development]

Criminal Justice

Illinois Department of Corrections COVID-19 Response

Disability

COVID-19 Resources for the Disability Community
[Access Living]

Domestic Violence

Services for Victims of Domestic Violence
Call 1-877-TO END DV or 1-877-863-6338 (Voice), or 1-877-863-6339 (TTY). This hotline, operated by the Illinois Department of Human Services is toll free, confidential, multilingual, and open 24-hour.

Employment and Unemployment Compensation

Benny the Illinois’ unemployment benefits virtual assistant
If you are in Illinois and unemployed, Benny is designed to help you along the road to getting Illinois unemployment benefits.
[CARPLS]

COVID-19 Guide for Workers in Illinois (available in English and Spanish)
[UIC Center for Healthy Work]

Workers’ Compensation Notice of Emergency Amendment
Essential workers who contract COVID-19 and file for workers compensation will be presumed to have contracted COVID-19 on the job.

Stimulus Payment Assistance
Information and resources from the Internal Revenue Service on economic impact payments eligibility and how to get a payment.

Get Your Stimulus Check
New America, Economic Awareness Council, Heartland Alliance, and the Woodstock Institute have partnered to create this central place for Illinoisans to get information about how to receive their stimulus checks.

Check Cashing Fees Waived for Unbanked Illinoisans
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has announced that unbanked Illinoisans may cash their stimulus payments at a number of banking institutions without incurring check cashing fees.

Food

Greater Chicago Food Depository Coronavirus (COVID-019) Updates and Information

Help for People Applying for SNAP and Medicaid
[Greater Chicago Food Depository]

Apply for SNAP benefits online

Attention: SNAP Work Requirements for ABAWDs Temporarily Suspended During State of Emergency

Information About the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program
[Community members can reference this flyer for a website and phone number that can be used to look up contact information for your local office and call to apply for benefits.]

Healthcare

Open Enrollment (Enrollment period for the health insurance Marketplace is November 1, 2021, through January 15, 2022)
[Healthcare.gov]

Get Care Illinois
GetCareIllinois.org offers low-income individuals and families a roadmap to finding, obtaining, and using healthcare coverage in Illinois through Medicaid or the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Getting Health Insurance Coverage
[Get Covered Illinois]

HelpHub
HelpHub is an online community where enrollment assisters in Illinois can share their experiences, ask questions and troubleshoot problems they are having helping consumers enroll into affordable, comprehensive health care options.

HIV Resource Hub + COVID-19 Financial Assistance [AIDS Foundation of Chicago and Center on Halsted]

Fact Sheets for Patients
Fact sheets in 30+ languages from the Health Literacy Project.

Black Patients’ Guide to COVID-19 [Color of Change]

Housing

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Mutual Aid Fund
One-time emergency grants of up to $500 to individuals or families experiencing homelessness, including people who are unsheltered, staying at a shelter, or living doubled-up with family or friends.

Coming Home during COVID: a Webinar on Housing Protections for Justice-Involved People in Illinois

General Lists of Resources

Illinois COVID Help
These virtual assistant bots can help you with a wide range of COVID-related issues including eviction, consumer debt, employment and more.

State of Illinois Coronavirus Resources

City of Chicago Coronavirus Resources

COVID-19 Policy Resources
[Heartland Alliance]

COVID-19 Resources for Small Businesses and Nonprofits
[Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights]

UIC School of Public Health COVID-19 Resources

Immigrant Communities/Public Charge

Immigrant Family Resource Program
Help for low-income immigrant families and other limited-English speaking person seeking public benefits.

Protecting Immigrant Families Illinois

COVID 19 Resources for Undocumented Communities
[Betancourt Macias Family Scholarship Foundation]

COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Students
[UIC’s Office of Diversity]

Unemployment Benefits in Illinois for Non-U.S. Citizens [Legal Aid Chicago]

Beneficios de desempleo de Illinois para inmigrantes Preguntas frecuentes [Legal Aid Chicago]

Parole Guide for Sponsors of Detained Immigrants
[If you have a loved one who is detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), you can help them apply for release on parole. From the Southern Poverty Law Center.]

Webinar: What Illinois Immigrants Need to Know During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Call4Calm
Illinoisans who would like to speak with a mental health professional can text “TALK” to 5-5-2-0-2-0, or for Spanish, “HABLAR” to the same number: 5-5-2-0-2-0 free of charge. A service of the Illinois Department of Human Services’ Mental Health Division.