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This investment supports the Little City Foundation’s Oral Health Program for Children with Autism to provide access to oral health care services for children and adults living with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Metropolitan Chicago area. The program, operating under the umbrella of the Center for Health and Wellness, is the only on-site facility of its kind in Illinois providing specialized medical and oral health care to this population. Focusing on a 50-mile radius, Little City's dental hygienist has demonstrated the desensitization process and oral health techniques to peer agencies, school districts, individuals and families across the collar counties of the Metropolitan Chicago Area, reaching more than 350 children in less than one year. The overall impact of the Oral Health Program is measured by Little City's progress toward improved oral health conditions seen among children with developmental disabilities, whether living at Little City or in the community. $5,000 will support the salary of a part-time dental hygienist, who trains individuals, families, caregivers, school districts, and peer agencies in providing oral health care for those with developmental disabilities. Grant funds provided through the Community Response Fund to improve access to care for an underserved population with special access needs and circumstances.