Serving Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee & Will Counties

Jennifer Wick
Division Director
jwick@cc-doj.org

Aging & Disability Services at Catholic Charities offer Options Counseling, Information & Assistance, Care Coordination, Crisis Intervention and volunteer opportunities for older adults and persons with disabilities. Caregiver programming is provided to support family caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren.

Volunteer Opportunities
Senior Companion Program

Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee and Will Counties

Contact: Bry Williams at 815-933-7791 ext.9928 or bwilliams@cc-doj.org.

Offers adults age 55 and older the opportunity to support and interact with their homebound frail peers through regularly scheduled home visits.  Income eligible Senior Companion volunteers receive a modest tax-free stipend, mileage reimbursement and generally volunteer 20 hours per week.

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Foster Grandparent Program
Will County

Contact: Bry Williams at 815-724-1157 or bwilliams@cc-doj.org.

Offers adults age 55 and older the opportunity to work with children with special needs at local elementary schools and preschools. Income eligible Foster Grandparent volunteers receive a modest tax-free stipend, mileage reimbursement and generally volunteer 20 hours per week.

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Money Management Program
Kankakee, Grundy, Iroquois, and Will Counties

Contact: Sherri Funk at 815-523-9921 or sfunk@cc-doj.org
Offers adults the opportunity to serve and advocate for low-income older adults who have difficulty budgeting, paying routine bills and keeping track of financial matters. Money Management volunteers have the opportunity to work directly with clients or serve in the program by assisting with quality assurance monitoring and program support.

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Long-term Care Ombudsman Program
Grundy, Kankakee, and Will Counties

Contact: Sharon McLemen 815-724-1120 or smclemen@cc-doj.org

Volunteers provides advocacy and support for residents of long-term care facilities. Provides education about resident rights and related information to residents, community members, long-term care facility staff, and legislative representatives. Volunteer acts at the direction of the resident to resolve his/her concerns and complaints. To learn more, click here.

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Telephone Reassurance Program

Grundy, Kankakee, and Will Counties

Telephone Reassurance Program connects older adults and volunteers through weekly telephone conversations that foster connection and reduce social isolation and feelings of loneliness.

Click here to apply to volunteer in the Telephone Reassurance Program!

Contact: trp@cc-doj.org

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Aging Services

All services for older adults and those with disabilities are designed to encourage and support independence while protecting the participant’s dignity. Catholic Charities works collaboratively with many organizations to accomplish this goal.

Information & Assistance
Kankakee County
Contact: 815-523-9918 or ccu@cc-doj.org.
Provides information about and linkage to the many services and benefits available to older adults and persons with disabilities. Client advocacy and intervention are also offered.

Options Counseling
Kankakee County
Contact: 815-523-9918 ccu@cc-doj.org.
Offers assistance to all persons and family caregivers making long term support decisions regardless of an individual’s income or financial assets. The process includes a personal interview, brief assessment and follow up.

Emergency Assistance
Kankakee County
Contact: 815-523-9918 or ccu@cc-doj.org.
Limited Residential Repair and Flexible Community Services funds are available to assist in crisis situations where normal resources are not available. These funds might pay for a small plumbing repair, supplement funds for a ramp, emergency medications or food or cover durable equipment not covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

Long-term Care Ombudsman Program
Grundy, Kankakee, and Will Counties
Contact: 815-724-1120 or smclemen@cc-doj.org
Provides advocacy and support for residents of long-term care facilities. Provides education about resident rights and related information to residents, community members, long-term care facility staff, and legislative representatives. Acts at the direction of the resident to resolve his/her concerns and complaints. To learn more, click here.

Care Coordination (Case Management)
Kankakee County
Contact: 815-523-9918 or ccu@cc-doj.org.
Offers frail older adults and their families assistance as they assess the need for care and coordinate an overall plan of service to maximize the older person’s independence in the home. Multiple domains of the older person’s life are evaluated including: need for assistance with personal care, house keeping, meal preparation, transportation, overall environment and emotional well-being. The primary goal of the assessment is to link the older adult with the services and benefits available to them that help maintain their independence and dignity.

Community Care Program
Kankakee County
Contact: 815-523-9918 or ccu@cc-doj.org.
Offers in-home services including home care aides, emergency home response systems and adult day care services to eligible persons.

Home Delivered Meals
Kankakee County
Contact: 815-523-9918 or ccu@cc-doj.org.
Catholic Charities provides intake and eligibility determination for this program. Eligible recipients must be homebound due to illness, injury or lack of accommodations for meal preparation.

Money Management Program
Kankakee, Grundy, Iroquois, and Will Counties
Contact: 815-523-9918 or ccu@cc-doj.org.
Offers eligible older adults basic assistance with money management tasks such as balancing the checkbook; organizing and keeping track of bill paying; identifying scams and advocacy with creditors.  Two levels of service are offered.

Choices for Care (Universal Nursing Home Pre-screenings)
Kankakee County
Contact: 815-523-9918 or ccu@cc-doj.org.
Offers a free consultation to assist you and your family members in learning about your options for care. Costs for services will vary. Depending upon your income and assets, you may be eligible for state or federal assistance to pay for services.

Community Education & Outreach
Kankakee County
Contact: 815-523-9918 or ccu@cc-doj.org.
Offers community organizations and agencies, service groups and others informational presentations related to topics of interest such as available services and benefits for older adults and caregiver or grandparent raising grandchildren programming.

Senior Companion Program
Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee and Will Counties
Contact: Contact: Bry Williams at 815-933-7791 ext.9928 or bwilliams@cc-doj.org
Offers friendly visits to socially isolated adults. Volunteers age 55 and older visit with and may participate in activities such as reminiscing, reading books or newspapers, playing games and providing limited assistance with errands, supervision or transportation.

Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP)

Serving Will, Kankakee, and Grundy Counties

Contact 815-724-1197 or SHIP@cc-doj.org

SHIP is a free counseling program for people with Medicare. Our state-trained counselors provide personalized, in-depth, assistance with Medicare questions and with evaluating health insurance options. We are not associated with any insurance company and aim to educate people to make informed decisions through individualized assistance or free group presentations.

Adult Protective Service

Serving Grundy & Kankakee Counties
Call: 815-933-7791
Offers trained and caring professionals to help determine the services most needed to stop neglect and abuse; protect the person who has suffered abuse and/or neglect; and assist the individual in the healing process. Intervention for the abuser is also provided.

In addition to abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation reports, we also take reports of self-neglect for individuals 60 and older and persons with disabilities (ages 18 – 59). Calls of concern about individuals who are not taking care of themselves or who are living in an unsafe environments can also be made to Catholic Charities by calling 815-933-7791 or to the 24 hour hotline: 866-800-1409.

Abuse isn’t always intentional and it can happen in any home. Information and resources regarding abuse:

Click here to learn more about forms of abuse and neglect.

Click here to find out who is a mandated reporter in Illinois.

Reporting Abuse:  What Professionals Need to Know

Adult Protective Services Hotline 1-866-800-1409 (24 hour)

Caregiver Services

Kankakee County
Contact 815-523-9919 or ccu@cc-doj.org.

TCARE: Are you the caregiver for an individual over 60 years old who lives in Kankakee County? Take this self-assessment to be connected with life-changing services in your area. Click here. 

Family Caregiver Services
Offers in-person, by phone or email assistance to identify services and benefits available to your loved one or service to help the caregiver.  Services include funding for: respite care, gap-filling and legal support.

Also available are caregiver counseling, monthly support groups and periodic educational workshops for caregivers. Monthly support groups meet the first Wednesday of every month from noon to 1:15. A light lunch is provided. Please call our email our office for location. Please click here to register for the support group.

Relatives Raising Grandchildren
Offers in-person, by phone or email assistance to identify available services and benefits. Services include funding for: respite care, gap-filling and legal support.

Also available are relatives raising grandchildren counseling and periodic educational workshops for relatives raising grandchildren.