CEDA:  Home Energy Assistance Programs

CEDA’s Energy Services Program is the largest in Illinois serving over 150,000 households per year.

We assist eligible Cook County residents with their home heating and cooling energy costs as well as Emergency Furnace Repair. The following programs are available: Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)*, Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP), ComEd Residential Special Hardship, Peoples Gas Share the Warmth, and Emergency Furnace.

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Apply For SNAP (Food Stamps) & Medical Assistance

Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)

 

How to apply for public benefits with CPS: Children and Family Benefits Unit (CFBU)

If you would prefer to apply for benefits with CPS, instead of going to the local Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) office, you can:

 

• Call CFBU's hotline at 773-553-KIDS (5437)

• Call or visit the liaison closest to you

  An application will be completed by the CFBU Liaison.

  You can review and return your application with the required verification documents either by mail or by walking them back in to the CFBU liaison's office. View the list of verification documents needed to apply.
  Verification checklist [ English  |  Spanish ]

• Liaison will submit your application to the local IDHS office on your behalf.

 

Apply for:

 

SNAP (Food Stamps): provide a resource to ensure that families have regular access to healthy foods.

 

Free or low-cost health insurance: provides comprehensive healthcare that includes doctor's visits, hospital stays, emergency room care, prescription drugs, asthma inhalers, vision exams and eye glasses, hearing aids, immunizations and dental care.

 

Feeding Illinois

If you are in need of emergency or supplemental food, please visit Feeding Illinois. Feeding Illinois’ network of eight food banks distributes more than 120 million pounds of food per year to more than 2,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters throughout Illinois.You can locate your nearest Feeding Illinois partner agency and its hours of operations by clicking below. Before you visit an agency please call ahead to confirm hours.

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Illinois Hunger Coalition Hotline 1-800-359-2163

 

State of Illinois Health and Wellness

Here, parents can sign up their children for the state’s affordable health insurance programs, seniors can sign up for one of our affordable prescription drug programs, women can find information on free breast and cervical cancer screenings, and much more. 

 

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk.

 

Greater Chicago Food Depository: Food Assistance Program Finder

Use our Program Finder to locate a food pantry, soup kitchen, shelter or mobile food program near you.

 

Greater Chicago Food Depository: Food Assistance Programs For Children

These programs help provide nutritious food for the 1 in 5 children in Cook County at risk of hunger.

 

Greater Chicago Food Depository: Food Assistance Programs For Older Adults

Explore our programs that help address the hunger challenges of older adults in our community.

 

Medicare

Information for people who are just getting started with Medicare or curently enrolled. Includes information about whether you're eligible for Medicare, whether you get Medicare automatically, your Medicare coverage choices and how Medicare works with other insurance.

 

All Kids

All Kids is a State of Illinois program for children who need comprehensive, affordable health insurance, regardless of family income, immigration status or health conditions. The All Kids program offers many Illinois children comprehensive healthcare that includes doctors visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care and medical devices like eyeglasses and asthma inhalers. Some families pay monthly premiums for the coverage, but rates for middle-income families are significantly lower than they are on the private market. For instance, a family of four that earns between $50,700 and $77,112 a year pays a $40 monthly premium per child, and a $10 co-pay per physician visit.