100 Club of ILLinois Family Resource Network

As an organization who has served families and first responders since 1966, we continue to serve departments, members, and their families to navigate these devastating times. The 100 Club of Illinois works in partnership with many entities and directs members to resources available to them during these times.

A Message on resources from the 100 Club of Illinois

The 100 Club of Illinois has a variety of resources for 100 Club families listed on the Family Portal homepage. Our hope is to make it as easy as possible to navigate additional resources, providers, and content to help you in your journey. Know that our team is always here for you and if you are in need of support that is not listed in this portal, to please contact staff members for recommendations or further inquiries.

Family Portal Homepage

SURVIVOR SUPPORT

Immediate and/or long term assistance for families who have lost a loved one in the line of duty are available for a variety of resources and programmatic needs.

RESPONDING ORGANIZATIONS

Organizations dedicated to responding to families and departments during a line of duty death include:

100 Club of Illinois

Illinois Sheriffs’ Association

Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police

Illinois C.O.P.S.

Illinois Fire Chiefs Association

Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal

Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois

FINANCIAL BENEFITS & ASSISTANCE

Financial benefits and assistance available for survivors of first responder line of duty deaths include:

100 Club of Illinois Family Programming

100 Club of Illinois Educational Assistance

100 Club of Illinois Funding Application | for additional emergency funds beyond that of the Line of Duty Death funding and/or Educational Assistance funds

BJA Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program | Death and education benefits to survivors; Application assistance available through the 100 Club

State of Illinois

Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) | Counseling and educational financial grants

Tunnel to Towers Foundation | Mortgage assistance

Grief Support Groups, Retreats, and Family Resources

The 100 Club of Illinois provides surviving families with resources and support groups designed specifically for surviving family members. To access this list, families may log into their online family portal through the 100 Club webpage or contact 100 Club staff members directly.

Support Groups

Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) Hands-On Programming | for Spouses, Spouses for Couples, Kids Camp, Young Adults, Adult Children, Fiancés & Significant Others, Siblings, Parents, and Extended Family Members

Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) Counseling Program | Funding assistance for grief counseling services

National Fallen Fire Fighter Family Events | Year round calendar of events for families of fallen firefighters including family retreats

National Fallen Fire Fighter Winter Retreat | Winter season remembrance retreat for families of fallen firefighters

Gary Sinise Foundation Snowball Express

Never Alone Widows | Conferences, retreats, and support groups

Adult Grief Resources

The Grieving Brain | by Mary-Frances O’Connor*

Running in Trauma Stilettos: A Raw Glimpse at Grief and Life After Loss*

After the Badge: A True Story of Love, Faith, and Hope Following Loss | by Tania Owen and Vickie Speed

Grief Day by Day: Simple Practices and Daily Guidance for Living with Loss | by Jan Warner*

The Hot Young Widows Club: Lessons on Survival from the Front Lines of Grief | by Nora McInerny*

CuraLinc | Free grief counseling for 100 Club of Illinois Family Members

Grief and Loss Toolkit | Comprehensive educational guide for grief and loss provided by CuraLinc

Parents & Caregivers Grief Resources by the Dougy Center | Resources for supporting kids and yourself during grief

*may not be a first responder specific grief resource

Children Grief Resources

National Alliance for Children’s Grief*

Grief Resources and Tools from Willow House*

The Memory Box: A Book About Grief | by Joanna Rowland

CuraLinc | Grief counseling resource free for all 100 Club of Illinois Family Members

Kids & Teens Grief Resources by the Dougy Center | Activities and more to help children express their grief

Work Through Grief workbook | A grief and loss coping plan for kids

Children’s Mental Health Activity Book | Worksheets & coloring pages for kids

*may not be a first responder specific grief resource

Survivor Peer Network

Social Gatherings | Get togethers for scholars, spouses, or other family groups to spend time together and make new friendships

Scholar Buddy Program | Meet up or get connected with other 100 Club of Illinois scholars or alum to build friendships, mentorship, and support

Annual Gift Exchange | be partnered with another 100 Club family to share a note of hope and small gift to show you’re thinking of one another while meeting a new friend

*contact Kaira Zaremba for more details at kzaremba@100clubil.org

Gold Shield Partners

The 100 Club of Illinois Gold Shield Partners Program includes businesses/organizations that represent the best in their respective industry. These organizations work with the families of the fallen to provide them with pro bono professional support in the areas of Counseling, Law, Finance Decision Making, and Education. To contact Gold Shield Partner organizations or any other resources not listed, please reach out to Caitlyn Brennan at cbrennan@100ClubIL.org.

Gold Shield Partners include:

MESIROW FINANCIAL

Finance Partner

MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS

Education Partner

Clifford Law Group

Legal Partner

CuraLinc

Counseling Partner

Fallen Hero Memorials

Each year National and State memorials honor first responders who have died in the line of duty. Many county and local memorials also pay tribute to these heroes who will never be forgotten.