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Respite Family Services

Respite Family Services

About Respite Family Services

Little Friends Respite Family Services offers caregivers time for rest and relief from challenges associated with raising a child with special needs. Our program offers multi-week sessions for children with special needs and their siblings featuring indoor and outdoor activities and socialization opportunities. Currently, there is no fee for this program serving children 3-17 and siblings.

Each session is hosted by a lead instructor, paid staff members, and community volunteers. All participants are guided to engage in structured activities, art projects, gross and fine motor play while encouraged to socialize. One to one aides are available as needed. Sessions are ongoing throughout the year.

Weekly Sessions – Wednesday and Thursday Evenings
5:30-7:30 pm at Little Friends Warrenville campus

2023 Schedule: 
  • Fall Session – August 23, 2023 – October 26, 2023
  • Holiday Session – November 1, 2023 – December 14, 2023

Registration Information

Contact Becky Pundy at 630-204-0224 or bpundy@lilfriends.com for specific session information and new participant registration.

1. All children are encouraged to wear a mask but not required.

2. Please bring snack/water bottle (drink) to every session as this is a scheduled activity.

3. If a participant, shows indication of illness, sore throat, cough, RSV/coronavirus symptoms, caregivers will be notified and to pick up immediately.

4. Children required to engage (at least) 50% in group activities to align with group dynamic. If a child does not participate in group activities, it is considered individual care.

5. Any participant displaying dangerous behaviors (spitting, hitting, kicking, scratching) towards staff/volunteers or peers, will be unable to stay due to safety and disruption to group dynamic. If such circumstance occur, caregivers will be notified to pick up participant immediately.

6. We cannot guarantee 1:1 support. We do our best to accommodate the needs of the individuals who need this type of support; however, we are at the mercy of volunteer attendance. We will always have a certain number of paid staff, but volunteer numbers vary weekly.

7. There are NO fees associated with the program at this time, we only request regular weekly participation so we can plan for staffing and volunteer needs.  We understand emergencies/sickness happen; however, volunteers make our program a priority and we request you do too

Big hearts needed to engage little minds and hold hands of special needs children and siblings aged 3-17.  Little Friends Family Respite Services program offers multi-week sessions for children with special needs and their siblings, featuring indoor and outdoor activities and socialization opportunities.

Volunteers are needed to help supervise these planned activities. You will gain experiential learning for your future career in education, nursing, physical therapy and beyond. You can earn service hours or build your college and career resume. Choose one or multiple shifts. We are seeking high school and college students as well as adult volunteers on an ongoing basis.

  • Be a Respite Volunteer!
  • Experiential Learning
  • Honor Society Hours
  • College & Career Resume Builder
  • Mature Teens 14+
  • Training Provided
  • Weekly or Monthly
  • Make New Friends & Develop New Skills

Respite Volunteer Application Form

If you are interested in volunteering with Little Friends Family Respite Services, please complete the form below. Be sure to upload a completed Volunteer Liability and Photo Permissions Waiver (pdf can be found using the button below the application).

Name(Required)
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Address(Required)
Are you age 14 or older(Required)
Parent / Guardian name if volunteer is under 18
Drop files here or
Max. file size: 50 MB, Max. files: 2.

    Contact our Respite program director, Becky Pundy, at 630-204-0224 or bpundy@lilfriends.com to learn more!

    Meet The Staff

    Becky Pundy

    Director
    Respite Services

    Becky has been working as a parent and family support advocate for 10 years. Becky is former Founder and Executive Director of Respite Endowment Organization, a private 501c3, which provided respite services and support to families in Naperville and surrounding areas. Respite Endowment Organization merged with Little Friends and became the 5th program of service to the agency. Becky also worked as a Parent Mentor in District 203, is certified by ISBE as a Parent Education Partner and worked for Illinois state agency PACT Inc., as a Parent Liaison. Becky has a BA in Communications from Rider University.

    boy on sports field

    I love my school

    “I love my school because I have great teachers and friends.”

    person standing near artwork

    I like to socialize and laugh

    “I like to socialize and laugh with my friends every day.”

    happy person smiling

    Little Friends staff are remarkable people

    “As parents, we feel truly thankful and blessed for the opportunities that Little Friends has provided and offered.  Little Friends staff are remarkable people who are dedicated to what they do and those they serve.”

    girl on swing set smiling

    Good times with friends and people who care

    “For my son, this has not been just a school but the place where he spends good times with friends and people who care about him.”

    person reading

    How grateful we are

    “How grateful we are to all the angels who work with our son at Little Friends. This is his home.”

    smiling boy

    Krejci means so much to Us

    “Krejci means so much to us because it’s been the one place that has truly helped my child excel and grow; the place that he is not judged or made to feel different but accepted. I am so appreciative of the patience, care, and hard work from all the Krejci staff.”

    child sitting on bench

    Positive Impact on our Family

    “Respite has had such a positive impact on our family. We love that our kids can socialize with other families that share our similarities. It gives me comfort knowing he is in good hands”