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McHenry County assistance programs.

Help with bills, rent, prescription medicines, and more
If you are one of the many people who need helps making rent, buying prescriptions, or paying for utility bills, the Crystal Lake Salvation Army is one resource that can assist, and is a place to turn to.

The local social service agency offers an Emergency Assistance program, which will provide vouchers to families and individuals who need short-term financial help or emergency funds to pay for unexpected expenses. Most often, the vouchers the salvation army will provide pays for food, clothing and prescriptions medications, and the money will also help people avoid an eviction. Find additional ways to get help with medical and hospital bills, including tips for how to negotiate hospital bills.

The office is located at 290 W Crystal Lake Ave, Crystal Lake.

Get free diapers.
Diapers are very expensive for low income families, and there are few places to get them for free. The St. Paul Diaper Bank Partnership of McHenry County has a program that changes that. This organization is now distributing free diapers to food pantries, charities, and other various agencies across the county. It is one of only a few assistance programs statewide that provide such a service. The program is catching on, as more than 30 churches and other groups have pledged to donate diapers to be distributed.

Diapers are not covered by federal and state assistance programs, experts say. In addition, food stamps can't be used to pay for diapers, and the Women, Infants and Children programs often do not provide them to low income families.

In addition, food banks and other charities don't always offer diapers as they are more expensive, and when they have them in stock, they tend to go fast as the demand is great.

Currently, the options for those who can't afford to pay for diapers are limited. what makes it challenging as well is experts that say for a variety of reasons cloth diapers aren't workable for most low-income families. Some reasons why include the fact that many Laundromats won't allow people to wash their soiled cloth diapers, and also day-care centers usually require the disposable variety for kids they watch.

Some other places to get free diapers include Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry in Naperville. That organization is one of the lucky few that can offer diapers to clients and others who need them.