(815)766-6565
1280 S. Alpine Road Rockford IL, 61108 ( Located within the 815 Impact Center)
(815)766-6565
1280 S. Alpine Road Rockford IL, 61108 ( Located within the 815 Impact Center)
WHO WE ARE
The Wayward Society corp is a Non-Profit Organization based out of Rockford IL.
Founded in June of 2021,The Wayward Society is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization that serves as a mobile resource team providing a variety of services to individuals living with disabilities, severe illness, mental illness and post crisis. We build confidence in families with hands-on training for those caring for loved ones at home, case management, bridge services, mentorship, peer support, community education, and a Pay It Forward Program where families can receive donated home care supplies and gently used medical equipment free of charge. Located within the 815 Impact Center, we're built from all-volunteer network of healthcare professionals, allied service providers, friends and family members of affected loved ones. Together we are here to provide bridge services, collaborate with other organizations and provide a better quality of life for the families we serve through our Wellness Without Walls Initiative., .
Our Mission
Our Mission
We're here to create greater independence for people living with developmental disabilities, severe illness, mental illness and post-crisis, not only to function in the world around them, but to help give them a functional world to live in. We will build confidence with hands-on training for families caring for their loved ones at home and be a village where we learn from each other and thrive together.
Our resources and support come with NO COST to families EVER, because we believe these are things NO ONE should ever be without.
Our resources and support come with NO COST to families EVER, because we believe these are things NO ONE should ever be without.
Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, disruptions in education, employment, health care, and social services have been amplified. Parents and family members took on full-time caregiving roles, while also stepping into new roles as special educators, speech therapists, behavior therapists, and more. This has been exhausting, frustrating, and often just not possible for many families. So it's important we understand how these individuals and their families have been negatively impacted living without resources including home care education, basic safety and most especially ADLs that truly affect their ability to function day to day.
By helping us fulfill these needs we are creating safer environments with safer practices, confident caregivers, and improving family communication.
WHAT WE DO
Home Visits
Home Visits
During our home visits we spend one on one time with families and their caregivers (where applicable), giving them an opportunity to be heard in their own environment, voice concerns and brainstorm ideas to problem solve. This allows us to establish a more interactive role for families in their loved one's development and treatments, address caregiver and support system needs. Case management and bridge services are also offered within this program. Branching from our home visits we use a digital referral system with our partner organizations to ensure we meet the needs of the families we serve.
ADLs
We obtain and even create customized aids for daily living. Aids for daily living often referred to as ADLs, can assist people with injuries, disabilities, or the elderly with everyday functional activities. ADLs include everything from mobility support to adaptive clothing, sensory equipment and more!
Check out our gallery to see some
of the cool stuff we make!
Check out our gallery to see some
of the cool stuff we make!
Specialty and home care training
Specialty and home care training
Using mannequins, our instructors provide hands-on case specific training to families caring for affected individuals in the home.
Ensuring safer practices for caregivers, reducing risk of injury to both the caregiver and their loved one, and building confidence through team building in topics such as proper lifting, transfers, CPR/First aid, the use of Narcan and more.
Pay it forward
Pay it forward
Through our "PIF" program, we pass along working, gently used ADL equipment, extending the life of these items and unopened home care supplies giving others a chance to benefit from them.
Acceptable PIF donations include: diapers (child and adult sizes), baby wipes, sanitizing wipes, gloves, incontinence pads/ liners, and feminine hygiene products first aid supplies, mobility aids like canes, wheelchairs or walkers, hospital beds and other home medical equipment. All items donated are used to assist local families in need, local schools and other organizations we work with.
Community Education
Community Education
This is where work with our community education program partners gets to shine! Together we present a variety of family and child safety topics for school-aged children to adult audiences. Topics covered include online and in person safety, Child/Human trafficking, abuse reporting, fire safety, emergency preparedness for medically complex families and more.
Collectively we host a variety of peer support, referral services, and psycho-education groups.
Family/Child safety
Alongside community education we also provide a FREE child ID kit upon request
THIS KIT INCLUDES: an ID card, a fingerprint strip, 2 DNA swabs and an info/instruction card.
Get Involved
Get Involved
Did you know?
Did you know?
Not only do we provide equipment and services to families at home, but also serve community schools, residential facilities and other non profit organizations too!
How you can help
How you can help
With your compassion and generosity in monetary, material donations or volunteered time we will be able to fulfil our mission. Our goal is to ensure that families in need within our community are able to receive support services the need, through work of our field team.
Our flexibility and mobility allow us to provide services to our clients right in their homes, because they thrive when we can help build their resilience and empower them in their own space.
It is a crucial part of our work to bring our resources straight to families who have difficulty or inability to travel.
Together we can make an incredible
impact in the community!
With your support we hope to one day open a resource center that will host open training areas for families and a variety of daily programs where recipients can attend workshops, community events and meet other families. This will be a huge step in providing more true inclusivity to the families we serve.
As a public charity we are a 501(c)(3) organization. ID# 87-2322937
Contact us for additional tax info.
As a public charity we are a 501(c)(3) organization. ID# 87-2322937
Contact us for additional tax info.
Current needs and acceptable donatable items.
Current needs and acceptable donatable items.
Fleece fabric (We go through lots and lots of fabric!)
quilt batting (all varieties)
lumber (all varieties)
hardware (nuts, bolts, screws, hinges)
batteries (AA, AAA and 9v)
miscellaneous household items for our custom sensory equipment (i.e., doorknobs, locks, latches, light switches, wheels etc.)
gas cards
craft or hardware store gift cards
plastic jars/bottles (like spice containers, VOSS bottles, peanut butter jars, etc.)
fidgets/ sensory toys
art/craft supplies
Social emotional learning aids
weighted blankets
poly pellets
good condition and working medical equipment or medical supplies (example: walkers, wheelchairs, gloves, child and adult diapers, first aid or wound care supplies etc.)
Please contact us with questions on acceptable donation items or for donation drop off locations. You can also visit our monthly news page here on our website or on our Facebook page for an updated list.
We also accept donations through Square and PayPal.
Together We Will
Together We Will
Are you interested in volunteering? We have a variety of long term and assignment based openings.
Contact us below, we'd love to hear from you!
Are you interested in volunteering? We have a variety of long term and assignment based openings.
Contact us below, we'd love to hear from you!
#TogetherWeWill
CONTACT US
