Advocates For Acceptance

09/04/2026

📢 WE’RE GROWING OUR TEAM!

Board Director Opportunity volunteer position 💜💚

Are you a special needs parent passionate about inclusion, advocacy, and building stronger local support for our families?

Advocates For Acceptance is looking for another Board Director, and we’d love for you to join us!

We are specifically looking for a mom or dad of an individual with special needs who brings personal insight, compassion, and lived experience residing in one of our local communities:
New Lenox, Manhattan
Mokena, Frankfort or Homer Glen

What the Role Involves:
Occasional events & collaborations: Representing our organization and working alongside local community partners.

Helping at hosted events:
Attending and assisting with Advocates for Acceptance events when they come up.

Voting on assistance requests:
Reviewing and voting as a board on design plans or monetary requests made for community assistance.

Finding the Right Fit!! Because our mission is so close to our hearts, we do include a review process for all applicants. This is simply to ensure that your passions and goals align perfectly with the heart of our organization so we can thrive together!

Family Comes First!!🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

We fully understand that being a special needs parent is a beautifully intense, time-consuming journey. Your family always comes first. We structure this role so you can attend and help when you are able to. There is no pressure—just a shared passion for making a difference.

How to Connect:
If you are interested in making an impact or know another parent who would be a great fit, please send us a direct message or email us at [email protected] to chat.

Please like and share this post to help us reach our local community! 💚💜

Thank you for helping us to make this world a little more inclusive!

09/04/2026

Huge appreciation post for Liz Carroll

🙌🛼She organizes an incredible monthly inclusive skate day at the rink for kids of all abilities. Even though we haven’t been able to make it out in person, I wanted to take a moment to publicly thank her for pouring so much love, energy, and advocacy into our community.

Thank you for making sure every kid has a place to roll, play, and belong. You are amazing! 💙

If you have a child who would love to join, keep an eye out for the next one so you don't miss it!

09/04/2026

We're offering complimentary developmental screenings to preschools in Mokena and surrounding communities. Now is the perfect time to schedule. To find out more, visit our website, https://www.kidscando.org/preschool-daycare-screenings.

09/02/2026

New Lenox Resident’s hope to see you there! We will be at the 6pm session.

08/21/2026

It is time to hold Manhattan School District accountable. All children deserve equal access to education, and this is not the first time this district has been on our radar at Advocates for Acceptance. School districts must follow the law, stop unlawful discrimination against students with disabilities, and prioritize FUNDING to support every learner safely and fully in the classroom.

Manhattan School District, you must do better for our kids.

Right now, a family in our community is fighting this exact battle, and a judge has issued a temporary order to protect their child's rights. We are calling on all special needs parents to rally around this family. We need to stand together, make our voices heard, and ensure that this judge's order becomes permanent. No family should have to fight the system alone.

Manhattan School District 114
Anthony DeLuca
State Senator Patrick Joyce

If you love someone with special needs, you know how hard our families have to fight every single day—for therapies, inclusive classrooms, healthcare coverage, and basic accommodations. 💙That’s why we have to pay attention to where our representatives truly stand.

She was counting down the days to the first day of 5th grade until her school district told her she didn't have a spot there. Now, a federal judge has ordered the district to put the 10-year-old girl with autism back in her neighborhood school.

08/13/2026

Thank you State Representative Nicole La Ha!!

SB3016 has been signed into law! 🛝🙌🏽

The Governor has signed Senate Bill 3016, legislation sponsored in the senate by Senator DeWitte (R-St. Charles) and in the House by State Representative Nicole La Ha (R-Lemont), encouraging communities seeking Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grants to incorporate accessible and universal design into park and recreation projects.

“Before I was a legislator, I was a mom trying to help my daughter experience the world like every other child," Rep. La Ha said. "Watching this bill become law is incredibly meaningful because I know what it represents for so many families."

Read the full press release below 👇

08/13/2026

Do you know what a physiatrist is?

We wish we had found one years ago! When our son was little, we navigated the special needs world relying mostly on our pediatrician and therapists. We didn't even learn what a physiatrist was until about a year ago—and our son is 9!

If you are in the same boat and have never heard of this specialty, a physiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R). Unlike surgeons or single-issue specialists, a pediatric physiatrist looks at the whole child. They focus on maximizing movement, managing muscle tone and spasticity, coordinating equipment like braces,orthotics, wheelchairs, medical beds and guiding long-term functional goals for kids with complex physical and neurological needs.

When we finally connected with Anton N. Dietzen, MD at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, it completely changed our care experience.

Why we love Dr. Dietzen:

Incredible bedside manner:
He is warm, incredibly patient, and treats our child with genuine kindness. Oh and he actually speaks to him. I know crazy concept right!!

He actually listens: Visits are never rushed. He takes the time to listen to all of our family's concerns and explains every option in detail.

Whole-child focus:
He partners seamlessly with therapy goals to help kids gain maximum independence and mobility.

If your child has developmental delays, cerebral palsy, or other neuromuscular needs, and you haven't added a physiatrist to your care team yet, look him up! We cannot recommend Anton N. Dietzen, MD enough!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CLaHeR6VK/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Marianjoy

08/09/2026

A day on the water can become a memory that lasts a lifetime. 💜

Registration is now open for At the Lake Wisconsin, a completely free event designed for individuals with disabilities and special needs and their families. Join us for adaptive waterskiing, tubing, kayaking, pontoon rides, swimming, arts and crafts, hayrides, and so much more.

Whether you're looking to register as an athlete or volunteer your time to help create an unforgettable experience, we'd love to have you with us.

📍 Camp Whitcomb/Mason | Hartland, WI
📅 August 21-22
💜 Register today at https://anthrosfoundation.org/pages/wisconsin

07/27/2026

If you missed our first post, here is a quick recap on Affirming Minds Institute a new local nonprofit. We had the great pleasure of meeting them to learn all about the wonderful support and programs they are bringing to our community.

This information was provided by them for us to share with you!

WHO THIS TRACK SUPPORTS

Neurodivergent individuals seeking meaningful employment
Individuals facing barriers to workforce participation
Non-traditional students and first-generation college students

ABOUT THIS TRACK

The BRIDGE Program is AMI's workforce development initiative designed to support individuals who have historically experienced barriers in traditional employment settings. We combine structured training with compassionate, individualized support to help participants build confidence and sustainable careers.

This program is a 32 week long track.

Stage 1 (Weeks 1-8, up to 12): Dependent on participants' needs and abilities, teaching and practicing hands on activities of daily living and workforce readiness skills. This includes an $1800 stipend for those who qualify. This stipend is to be used for work training access ie. Apparel, transportation etc.

Stage 2-3 (Weeks 8-24): Job placement begins with direct supervision. Supervision then begins fading as confidence, communication, and independent job application skills progress.

Stage 4 (Weeks 24-32): Independent job placement with optional and/or as needed supervision and support for participants and their employer.

WHAT PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE
Structured training and workforce readiness education
Supervised placements with neurodiversity-affirming employers
Mentorship and ongoing professional guidance
Transportation support
Ongoing employer collaboration and retention support
Long-term career development planning

THE LINK FOR THEIR ONLINE APPLICATION IN THE COMMENTS:

07/21/2026

🌟 We love seeing our community grow!

Our New friends at Affirming Minds Institute recently reached out, and we are so excited to help them spread the word about the amazing work they are doing. They are hosting an event TOMORROW to showcase their new programs designed to help neurodivergent individuals build essential job skills. Even better? They also work directly with local employers to educate them on how to create supportive, inclusive workplaces. Whether you are looking for skills training or want to learn how to advocate for neurodivergent individuals in the workforce, this event is for you!

Please drop by to see what they are offering, and be sure to share this post to help us spread the word! 💙♾️