It's Hurricane season at Hammitt!

Hammitt Schools provide local children with the personalized, special education services they need for behavioral and academic success. In addition to regular classes, we also provide robust experiences such as vocational education and sports so that students receive a healthy, well-rounded education.

Students at Hammitt Junior-Senior High School recently (and excitedly) made the most of their school experience by joining the Hammitt Hurricanes basketball team. Their 2023 season kicked off earlier this month. 

Movement, positive social interaction, and the lessons of teamwork are all reinforced under the watchful eyes of coaches who happen to be teacher-therapists and are dedicated to each student’s success. The students love the active environment and are having fun while learning. 

The entire Hammitt Junior-Senior High School staff are also cheering on the team this year. To show their support, they all wore Hurricane swag for the team’s first game.

Thank you to Dr. Kabir of Kabir Center for Health for making this possible by sponsoring this year's team!

The dedicated teachers and staff at Hammitt Schools always find creative ways to incorporate important life skills into their students’ days. 

Meal planning and preparation are essential for living well, so teachers recently helped students make their own pizza. These skills will help prepare them for their post-secondary journeys.

Handling money is another important life skill. A classroom Monopoly game offered the perfect opportunity for students to practice accuracy, attention to detail, budgeting, and more!

Thanks to the amazing Hammitt teachers and staff for their creative lessons that are setting our students up for lifelong success!

Community members regularly reach out to ask how they can be more involved in the life-changing work of The Baby Fold. Here are several ways you can be a part of our important mission to care for local children.

Join our staff.

We might be biased, but we think The Baby Fold is a great place to work! We’re currently hiring in our schools, adoption support, foster care, and finance. If you would like to use your skills to make a positive impact in the lives of children and families, take a look at the Careers section of our website. Make your life’s work meaningful and join us to be part of a team of individuals working for good and changing lives, all on behalf of kids.

Become a foster parent.

Every child deserves to be loved and protected. You can help provide a safe, nurturing home environment to a child when you become a foster parent for The Baby Fold. Foster parents are trained and supported by The Baby Fold throughout the fostering journey. Foster families offer stability and love in transitional times to help bridge the gap to a child’s permanent home.

"We have been a foster family for 12+ years and it has truly touched our lives in more ways than we imagined! Each child who has lived with us has given us memories and an impact that we would have missed out on if we had not said yes… We are grateful to God for the experiences we have had, the good and the hard, that come with this journey." –Ryan, Hope, and Family

Visit our website to learn more about becoming a foster parent and to read additional testimonials from foster parents.

Volunteer your time.

Interested in using your talents to help? We regularly need volunteers! From creating Valentines to filling Easter eggs, we have a variety of projects you can do at home to bless our kids and families. Later this spring we’ll also have on-campus volunteer needs. Help us show our kids that the community cares about them. Contact Sam Guillory, Director of Development, at sguillory@thebabyfold.org or (309) 451-7202 to plan your volunteer project or service activity.

Host a supply drive.

School supplies, hygiene items, cleaning products, and baby necessities are among the items always needed by The Baby Fold. Consider hosting a supply drive with your group or organization to help us stock up! When these essential supplies are donated, our funds go further to support our life-changing programs. To learn more about the specific needs of each of our programs, contact Sam Guillory, Director of Development, at sguillory@thebabyfold.org or (309) 451-7202.

Make a donation.

Monetary donations change the lives of the children in our care. Did you know we accept a variety of donation options including IRA gifts, stocks, and cryptocurrency? Have you considered making an impact by donating property or farmland? Or including our important work in your estate planning? Visit our Ways to Give page for a complete list of the ways to make an impact financially.

Become a business sponsor.

Show the community that your business is invested in the wellbeing of local children by partnering with The Baby Fold! Throughout the year we regularly accept donations of money, goods, and services from local organizations looking to help fulfill our mission. Businesses such as Sylvester Family Dental, Radio Bloomington, CEFCU, and Avanti’s Family Restaurant already partner with us to invest in the lives of our children and families.

Interested in ways your business can help? Contact Sam Guillory, Director of Development, at sguillory@thebabyfold.org or (309) 451-7202 to discuss options. 

Small children often struggle to communicate their needs through language. Even their behavior is considered communication. Knowing this, The Baby Fold’s newest program, Caregiver Connections, is part of a state-wide initiative to help address concerning behaviors that children are exhibiting in childcare settings.

When staff at a childcare center reach out for support, our early childhood mental health specialists travel to the center to observe their classrooms through a healing-focused lens. Our specialists identify children who appear to be experiencing emotional and behavioral struggles and who may be in need of further resources. Additionally, we work directly with the childcare center’s staff to train them to identify children in need. Through these early intervention and training services, we can change the trajectory of the lives of children and families and build healthier and more stable family foundations. 

The Baby Fold’s Caregiver Connection program has become increasingly impactful, doubling in size over the last year and now serving 19 counties across Illinois. With this expansion, even more children, caregivers, and classrooms are growing in health and wellness—and that’s a connection worth keeping!