Little Friends Family Council

Mission

To strengthen client and family involvement by creating a sense of community among Little Friends families through social, educational and fundraising events.

About the Little Friends
Family Council

Since its inception in 1997, the Little Friends Family Council has worked to raise awareness and provide support through Little Friends educational, social and fundraising events. Family Council members serve as volunteers and spearhead a number of educational events throughout the year, including the annual Family Council Picnic, educational information sessions and the Bids for Kids Auction. 

The Little Friends Family Council meets monthly at the Little Friends Administrative building, located at 140 N. Wright Street in Naperville. Family Council members play an integral role at Little Friends, helping to ensure the success of countless endeavors each year.

How You Can Get Involved

There are a variety of ways for Little Friends families to get involved with the Family Council throughout the year, including: 

1. Attending Family Council monthly meetings
2. Volunteering at a variety of Little Friends special events and fundraisers
3. Attending or helping to coordinate Information Sessions on topics of interest to families across the agency
4. Attending social activities, such as the annual Family Picnic

Highlights from Previous Events

• Annual Family Picnic – More than 200 families enjoy a picnic lunch, entertainment, games and much more.
  
  
• Kane County Cougars Game – Nearly 70 people enjoyed baseball and fireworks on a warm summer evening!
  
  
• TEACCH Kit Service Project – More than 40 family members and volunteers came together to create activities for our clients – 40 TEACCH kits, 22 folder learning systems, schedule picture systems, and five workbooks to be used throughout the Spectrum Vocational Services workshop.
  
  
• Bowling Extravaganza – Nearly 100 people enjoyed an afternoon of bowling and mingling with other families.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.  Does it cost anything to join the Family Council?
A.  No, there is no financial commitment to join the Family Council.  Throughout the year, there are some social events planned by the Council that have an admission fee. These events are optional to attend.

Q.  Are there any requirements and if so, how much time does it involve? 
A.  The Family Council meets on a monthly basis, usually the first or second Tuesday of month from 6:30 pm. - 8 p.m.  There is no structured requirement to be part of this group and it is open to all families from across the agency.  There is also no minimum number of meetings or events to volunteer or attend.

Q.  Do I have to attend every meeting? 
A.  Whether you can attend one meeting or all of them, any participation is welcome.

Q.  Will I have to sell anything or fundraise?
A.  The Family Council does not regularly participate in fundraising activities. However, families often provide support as volunteers for Little Friends events. Occasionally, the Family Council will sponsor special fundraisers in which restaurants donate a percentage of sales to Little Friends. Participation is optional.

Q.  What are the benefits of getting involved?
A.  There are many benefits of being involved, such as giving back to the program or school that your son or daughter attends. However, the primary benefit is meeting and connecting with other families. Here are some reasons that others have become involved, in their own words:

“My husband and I have been on the Family Council for about 3 years. Many times only one of us can attend the meetings as our son needs someone home with him. We enjoy being with other parents who truly understand us and our life. We share experiences with each other that can benefit our kids. We learn from one another. We feel very fortunate to be part of the Little Friends organization as many disabled kids and adults do not have the opportunity to receive support services, especially the professional and caring services that Little Friends provides.  We try to do our best to support the efforts of Little Friends because we get so much in return.”   - Jeannie

Meetings 

The Little Friends Family Council meets monthly at the administrative building, located at 140 N. Wright Street in Naperville. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. All meetings are open to parents and guardians. Attended is encouraged.

Upcoming Meetings:

August 31
September 7
October 5

Upcoming Events 

Family Picnic Slated for September 11
Mark your calendars and plan to join the Little Friends Family Council for the seventh annual Family Picnic on Saturday, September 11, at the Little Friends administrative building. All Little Friends clients and their families are invited to be our guests at this summertime celebration. This annual get-together provides Little Friends families with the opportunity to meet and visit with each other. Festivities include a picnic lunch, entertainment, games for the kids and much more. Little Friends staff members will be on hand to assist throughout the picnic, but one-to-one assistance will not be available. Make sure to bring lawn chairs or a blanket.

Donate School & Art Supplies
The Family Council will be collecting donations of new school and art supplies  at this year’s Family Picnic. Families are invited to participate in this special collection drive by donating crayons, construction paper, markers, scissors and other supplies. Donated items will be distributed throughout the programs of Little Friends.

To R.S.V.P. for the Family Picnic, please contact Cally Edwards at Little Friends at (630) 355-6533 or via e-mail at credwards@lilfriends.com. We look forward to seeing you in September!

Family Council to Host Information Session September 28
The Little Friends Family Council will host a free information session on government-sponsored benefits from 6:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 28, in Meeting Room C at Naperville’s 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive. Designed for parents and guardians of people with disabilities, this free information session will help participants learn about government-sponsored benefits programs that are available for families with special needs loved ones.

The evening’s featured speaker will be Sherri Schneider, president of Family Benefit Solutions, Inc. Participants will learn to research government-sponsored benefits, develop a comprehensive strategic plan to maximize all available assistance programs and understand the application process. Admission is free, but seats are limited. Parking is available at the library. For details, please contact Cally Edwards at (630) 281-1882 or via e-mail at credwards@lilfriends.com.

Annual Events

Little Friends Family Picnic

Each summer, the Family Council holds its annual Family Picnic at the Little Friends Administrative Building. This annual get-together provides Little Friends families with the opportunity to meet and visit with each other. Festivities include a picnic lunch, entertainment, games for the kids and much more. Little Friends staff members will be on hand to assist throughout the picnic, but one-to-one assistance will not be available. Make sure to bring lawn chairs or a blanket. We hope you will join us for this fun-filled afternoon.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

We hope that you will support Little Friends by joining the Family Council at one of the following special events: 

Little Friends Golf Classic
September 20, 1010- Naperville Country Club
Volunteers assist in a variety of roles throughout the day by helping with set-up, registration, activities on the course and evening festivities.

Friends of Little Friends Electric Parade
November 26, 2010- Downtown Naperville
Volunteers are needed to assist in a variety of roles. We are always looking for volunteers to walk in the parade and assist with set-up.

Bids for Kids Benefit Auction
March 5, 2011 - Hilton Lisle-Naperville
Volunteers are needed to serve on the planning committee, volunteer on the day of the event and donate auction items.

Get Involved Today

To learn more about the Little Friends Family Council, please contact:

Cally Edwards
Manager of Special Events and Volunteers
Phone: (630) 281-1882
E-mail: credwards@lilfriends.com