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Author: Companies That Care

Resources for Adults and Young Adults

Please check out this list of resources for young adults and adults with “invisible differences.

 

General

 

Employment

ADHD

Helpful Books

Autism

Resources for Employers

Parent Networking and Information Sessions

The Invisible Differences Parent Networking and Information Sessions will benefit you because you, as a parent of a child with an invisible difference, (learning disabled, non-verbal learning disabled, autism spectrum, etc.), will have the chance to interact with other parents who have children with similar needs.  Parents will have the opportunity to learn that the invisible difference should not define the child, rather is just a part of what makes the child who they are.  

Each meeting, which will be held monthly, there will be a speaker about a topic relevant to children with invisible differences.  These speakers will include:

  • A speaker who will discuss the issues/challenges you, as parents, want to hear about.
  • Real people with invisible differences who “made it”
  • Educational experts who will give tips on how to best teach children how to advocate for themselves, and how you as parents can help
  • A speaker who outlines the difference between the high school and college experience    
  • A speaker who demonstrates how assistive technology can be beneficial to students.

Furthermore, and possibly the biggest benefit of joining us for these meetings, is the chance for the students to interact with one another, and for students to hear the success stories of people who are like them.

Mark Your Calendar!

Sessions will be held on the second Tuesday of each month, and will include a guest speaker, networking sessions, and a Q + A portion.  All sessions are at the Center for Companies That Care office (954 West Washington Blvd., Chicago).

October 15: Parent Network Kick-Off Meeting

November 12: “Holidays and Special Needs”

December 12: “Legal Issues”

 

Click Here to Register!

Resources for Educators

Here is where you can find resources for educators. 

General

 

Autism

OCD

 

Helpful Books

 

ADHD

 

Helpful Books

Autism

Helpful Books

Resources for Parents

 

 Below you can find an abundance of resources including books, websites and organizations that can assist you and your child.

 

General:

  1. National Resource Center on ADHD

  2. Attention Deficit Disorder Association

  3. Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

  4. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

  5. National Institute of Mental Health

  6. National Autism Center

  7. A Parent’s guide to Evidence-Based Practice and Autism

  8. Autism Society: Autism Source

  9. Easter Seals Disability Services

  10. Madison House Autism Foundation

  11.  Helpguide.org

  12. Healthychildren.org

  13. International OCD Foundation: Support Group in Chicago

  14. www.beyondOCD.org

Legal Rights:

Employment

  1. Autism NOW: provides on the job transitional planning for job opportunities

Education 

  1. National Resource Center: provides information on education issues, educational rights, books on IEPs, and on understanding your child’s educational rights
  2. Autism NOW provides in the classroom and transition planning for students

Organizations

  1. Equip for Equality

With infants/young children:

  1. Easter Seals Chicago-Windy City Kids Children’s Development Center

  2. Easter Seals: Metropolitan Chicago Child and Family Connections

  3. ABA (Applied behavior Analysis) Chicago, Inc.

  4. Advocate Illinois Masonic Pediatric Developmental Center

  5. Communication Therapy

  6. PACTT Learning Center

  7. Kohl Children’s Museum

  8. National Lekotek Center

  9. Online Resource: Fin, Fur, and Feather Bureau of Investigation: set of internet games ideal for kids with ADHD

With pre-teen and high school-ers:

 

  1. Easter Seals Autism Therapeutic School Afterschool Program

  2. Best Buddies Illinois

  3. BGF Performance Systems, LLC

  4. PACTT Learning Center

  5. SGA Youth and Family Services

  6. Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Program

  7. Madison House Autism Foundation

 

Community Involvement, Networking:

  1. Mental Illness Discussion Groups

  2. Autism Program of Illinois (service network)

Books:

 Education:

  1. Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy The Special Education Survival Guide

  2. Wrightslaw: All About IEPs

  3. Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives

  4. The IEP from A to Z: How to Create Meaningful and Measurable Goals and Objectives

  5. A Parent’s Guide to Special Education: Insider Advice on How to Navigate the System and Help your Child Succeed

  6.  Better IEP Meetings Everyone Wins

 Social Skills for Children:

  1. Friends Forever: How Parents Can Help Their Kids Make and Keep good Friends

  2. Raise Your Child’s Social IQ: Stepping Stones to People Skills for Kids

  3. Skillstreaming the Elementary School Child

  4. Why Don’t They Like Me? Helping Your Child Make and Keep Friends

 Health:

  1. Health Matters: The Exercise and Nutrition Health Education Curriculum for People with Developmental Disabilities

  2. Engaging Autism

  3. Pivotal Response Treatments for Autism

 Research and Data:

  1. Amazing Me: It’s Busy Being Me

  2.  Integrated Self-Advocacy Curriculum

 

March to College Sponsors

Thank you for your sponsorship!

 Junior Sponsors:

CME Group

Enterprise Fleet Management, Inc.

Sophomore Sponsors:

Alliant Credit Union

Convergint Technologies

Plante Moran

Windy City Wire

Freshman Sponsors:

Lenel

Ryan LLC

SCANSOURCE

 

 

 

Thank you for your support!

WLS Radio

Fleet Feet Sports

 

2016 Honor Roll Company Profiles

Each Honor Roll employer demonstrates a number of Best Practices. Read some stellar examples of what makes Honor Roll companies Companies That Care!


CBRE: http://www.cbre.com

This year is CBRE’s 9th time on the Honor Roll.  The global commercial real estate company, and one of the larger employers on the Honor Roll with 70,000 employees worldwide, sustains its work environment and organizational culture through its defined and widely communicated values. Its RISE (Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence) values guide the daily behavior of all employees and are reinforced by the company’s leadership, programs, and policies.  With its high level of merger and acquisition activity, CBRE ensures the human toll is considered when transitioning the new businesses into its operations.  The transition process is characterized by extensive education and communication as well as extending the length of some legacy benefits to the advantage of incoming employees.  All employees have greater flexibility and CBRE’s customers have more access to the company with its Workplace360 project.  The foundational objectives of Workplace360 are improving the way employees work, optimizing assets, and generating business.  In addition to the increased flexibility and access, Workplace360 has resulted in lower space costs, more collaboration, and upgraded technology. Committed to having a diverse employee population, CBRE collaborates with the Posse Foundation, Commercial Real Estate Women’s Network, and Real Estate Associates Program to educate and expose women and people of color to the industry.  Affinity groups, fully supported by CBRE’s leadership, help create a sense of belonging for employees and are important resources to help the company achieve its diversity and inclusion objectives.  The company’s progress is tracked and widely communicated. CBRE also cares for the planet.  It was the first in its industry to achieve carbon neutrality in its operations and it encourages innovation and collaboration to do even more through its Real Green Research Challenge and Green Week.  All of these actions taken to benefit people and the planet have led to strong, sustained business performance for CBRE.


Enterprise Fleet Management, Inc.: http://www.efleets.com

Enterprise Fleet Management, Inc. has been named to the Honor Roll for 10 consecutive years and is the fifth employer to reach this milestone!  Since its inception, the company has had Founding Values that mirror the 10 Characteristics of Socially Responsible Employers and that serve as a plumbline for its business activities.  Those in the company truly believe great things happen when everyone listens to each other and to customers.  This employer is committed to employee retention and work/life balance.  To demonstrate that commitment, the company hired additional sales personnel when organizational growth (a key business objective) could have negatively impacted work/life balance.  They also provided laptops and other technological resources to give employees some flexibility about where and when they work.  When the company decided to merge two local sales offices and the commuting distance increased for some employees, financial relief was approved for those employees to compensate them for the additional mileage and to retain them.   Enterprise Fleet Management has goals of being culturally adept and to having a workforce that mirrors the communities it serves.  People of color and women are mentored and encouraged to network within the company to learn about best practices and strategies for success.  Enterprise’s commitment to diversity and inclusion extends to its suppliers and to its volunteerism efforts.


Sysmex America, Inc.: http://www.sysmex.com

Sysmex America, Inc. (SAI), on the Honor Roll for 8 years, has a strong focus on employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and community support. Knowing that customer engagement can be affected by how employees feel about their employer, SAI makes significant investments in development, benefits, and recognition programs.  The company’s development programs help prepare leaders of others to be skilled in doing so, enable employees to earn degrees as well as enhance their skills, and are delivered online or in classroom.  SAI offers a competitive benefits program and provides employees opportunities to participate in a variety of wellness programs.  Teamwork and collaboration are part of the organization’s DNA and helps employees across the company build relationships while achieving business objectives.  One outcome to SAI’s investment in its employees is that its customer loyalty is among the highest in SAI’s industry.  Diversity and inclusion are important to SAI.  Employees partner with charities to strengthen communities for all residents.  AIM High is one of SAI’s philanthropic endeavors.  Internally, the company has made significant progress with its attraction and retention goals, having achieved 94% of its goals regarding women, 84% of its goals regarding people of color, and a representation of veterans 7% above the national benchmark.  In all that it does, this medical diagnostics company of less than 1000 employees strives to maintain a “triple bottom-line” focus and keeps that in front of employees with regular communications and reinforcement of wins. 


 WellStar Health System: http://www.wellstar.org

WellStar Health System, being recognized as a 9-time Honor Roll employer, has established itself as an innovative organization committed to sustainable practices for its workplace and communities.  WellStar’s Leadership and Board of Trustees weigh carefully all major business decisions as to how those decisions may impact: 1) employees and their families, 2) patients and the care they receive, and 3) the community and their preception of WellStar’s commitment to their well-being now and in the future.  Open and transparent communication, listening to employees and patients, implementing ideas that result in improvements, teamwork, holding leaders and their departments accountable, continuous education, and regular fun activities are all ingredients that help WellStar have an engaged workforce and satisfied patients.  WellStar’s Leadership believes that a diverse team member population adds richness, depth, and breadth to the organization.  With continued emphasis on its diversity policies and practices, WellStar’s workforce becomes more diverse each year.  Some highlights include: about 50% of its 2014 hires were people of color, 33% of team members are over 50, 40% of senior leaders are women, 19.4% of managers and leaders are people of color, and 29% of employees promoted in 2015 were non-Caucasian.  WellStar also addresses the needs of its diverse patient population by offering language interpretation services and ensuring employees receive cultural information.

2017 Honor Roll Company Profiles

Each Honor Roll employer demonstrates a number of Best Practices. Read some stellar examples from two of the 2017 Honor Roll celebrants of what makes Honor Roll companies Companies That Care!

 


Enterprise Fleet Management, Inc.: http://www.efleets.com

Enterprise Fleet Management, Inc. has been named to the Honor Roll for 11 consecutive years and is the second employer to reach this milestone!  Since its inception, the company has had Founding Values that mirror the 10 Characteristics of Socially Responsible Employers and that serve as a plumbline for its business activities.  Those in the company truly believe great things happen when everyone listens to each other and to customers.  This employer is committed to employee retention and work/life balance.  To demonstrate that commitment, the company provided a commuting stipend to employees who had to relocate to a different office.  They also provide laptops and other technological resources to give employees some flexibility about where and when they work.  Enterprise Fleet Management has goals of being culturally adept and to having a workforce that mirrors the communities it serves.  A local Diveristy and Inclusion team ensures people of color and women are mentored and encouraged to network within the company to learn about best practices and strategies for success.  Enterprise’s commitment to diversity and inclusion extends to its suppliers and to its volunteerism efforts.  They often involve business partners in the latter as a way to make an even greater positive impact on communities.


Sysmex America, Inc.: http://www.sysmex.com

Sysmex America, Inc. (SAI), on the Honor Roll for 9 years, has a strong focus on employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and community support. Knowing that customer engagement can be affected by how employees feel about their employer, SAI makes significant investments in development, total compensation, and recognition programs.  The company’s development programs help prepare leaders of others to be skilled in doing so, enable employees to earn degrees as well as enhance their skills, and are delivered online or in classrooms.  SAI offers a competitive benefits program and provides employees opportunities to participate in a variety of wellness programs.  Teamwork and collaboration are part of the organization’s DNA and helps employees across the company build relationships while achieving business objectives.  One outcome to SAI’s investment in its employees is that its customer loyalty is among the highest in SAI’s industry.  The rising cost of benefits has shown to be an example of how SAI takes into account the human toll when making business decisions.  Without cost shifting to employees, SAI leadership has improved upon its benefits program resulting in an 89% satisfaction rating from employees. Additionally, rather than relocate operations in order to get more maufacturing capacity, the company identified ways to expand in its current locations, thus preventing a potentially negative impact on employees and the risk of losing great talent.  Employees partner with charities to strengthen communities for all residents.  AIM High, Habitat for Humanity, and the Chicago Leukemia and Lymphoma Society are a few of SAI’s philanthropic endeavors.  In all that it does, this growing medical diagnostics company of 1020 employees strives to maintain a “triple bottom-line” focus and keeps that in front of employees with regular communications and reinforcement of wins.