Hands & Voices - Board of Directors 2016

Back Row (left to right) Jill Kelly, Tina Childress, Alison Rollins, Karla Giese, Alejandra Ullauri,

 Jeanne Carlisle, Lynn Wood and Melissa Joyce

Front Row seated (left to right) Pauline Brannigan, Carrie Balian, Andrea Marwah, Heather Poe and Jennifer Ehlers

Hands & Voices

Our Mission:

Illinois Families for Hands & Voices is a parent-driven, non-profit organization that supports families with children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing without a bias around communication modes or methodologies.

Our Vision:

We envision a world where children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing have every opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Our Motto:

“What works for your child is what makes the choice right.” ^TM

Contact Us:

• ilhandsandvoices@gmail.com
• 630-697-3544 (v/text)
• PO Box 9366, Naperville, IL 60567

Where we began…

Illinois Hands & Voices, legally known as Illinois Families for Hands & Voices was started by Karen Putz and a group of parents throughout the state of Illinois who felt that parent support was crucial to our families.  Our chapter started in Summer of 2004.

Who Are We?

• We are families with children who have all types of hearing loss.
• We use many different types of communication modes: Auditory Verbal, Auditory Oral, Cued Speech, American Sign Language, Signed English, Simultaneous Communication and Total Communication.
• We are deaf and hard-of-hearing adults.
• We are professionals.
• We are from every corner of the state of Illinois.
• We are united, because we are Hands & Voices.

Families can learn about the variety of resources and options available to them and how to access them. Through this network of resources, families can make informed decisions about their future in regards to educational options, the changing landscape of assistive technologies, and many other issues facing families with deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Families within the same geographic region within the state can share experiences and information as they support each other. They will be given the opportunity to gain knowledge and direction from families who have faced the same challenges and choices.