Accessibility Guide

We are pleased to offer our Building Together 2024 Accessibility Guide. We hope that this guide will aid in creating an inclusive experience for all our conference attendees throughout their time in Chicago. If you have any questions about specific information shared in this guide, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email at educate@cof.org.

In this guide:

Travel Accessibility: Accessibility Services at the Airport

Chicago Airports: Chicago O'Hare and Midway International:

Both Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport offer a range of accessibility services designed to assist individuals with diverse needs throughout their journey. Wheelchair assistance is available by request through all airlines, there are attendants ready and able to assist travelers throughout the facilities and to their gates. Accessible restrooms equipped with features such as grab bars and lowered sinks are offered at both airports. Lactation Rooms are also available at both locations, offering the opportunity for traveling moms to nurse in a private space. Lastly, elevators are located throughout both airport terminals and provide access to all passenger levels.

The Chicago O’Hare Internation Airport is 18 miles from the Hilton Chicago and the trip will take around 45 to 50 minutes, depending upon traffic. The Chicago Midway International Airport is about 12 miles from the Hilton Chicago and the trip will take around 25 to 30 minutes, depending upon traffic.

Accessibility Services to and from the Airport

Rideshare: Rideshare transportation is offered at both the Chicago O’Hare Airport and Midway International. Lyft and Uber both offer wheelchair accessible vehicles to passengers with mobility disabilities. Passengers may select a wheelchair accessible vehicle when booking through the Lyft or Uber app.

Public Transportation: Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Pace are transportation service providers offering accessible train and bus transport to and from Chicago O’Hare and Midway International. Please note that not all CTA Stations are accessible. Please see the CTA's website for more information about CTA accessibility services.

For more information about accessible transportation in Chicago please visit: Accessible Transportation Information for People with Disabilities.

Accessibility at the Hilton Chicago

Elevators

The Hilton Chicago is equipped with elevators on each floor, ensuring attendees have access to every level of the building. The elevator buttons are labeled with large numbers and feature Braille and raised lettering, providing assistance to visually impaired individuals.

In addition, all elevators within the hotel are designed to accommodate wheelchair users and each elevator is equipped with sturdy handrails, ensuring added safety and support for all guests.

COVID Precautions

The Council on Foundations will NOT require our attendees to test for COVID-19 or to wear masks throughout the conference. For those who prefer to wear masks, we will have a limited supply available at our registration desk for your convenience. In addition to masks, we will also provide a limited supply of COVID-19 tests on-site. If you are experiencing symptoms or have concerns about your health throughout the event, simply approach any of our Council staff members at our registration desk, they will be more than happy to assist you in obtaining both a mask and/or a test.

Conference Accessibility

Session Rooms

All session rooms and aisles have been designed to be wheelchair accessible to ensure easy mobility for all attendees. Dedicated spaces will be reserved within each session room to accommodate wheelchairs comfortably and we will also reserve a few seats in the first row, specifically for visually or hearing-impaired attendees.

ASL/Language Services

We are excited to share that ASL Interpretation and CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) services will be available during all four of our Plenary Sessions.

Audibility

Each concurrent session room will be equipped with three microphones for our speakers. We have strongly encouraged all our speakers to utilize the microphones during their presentations, we hope this will create an environment where every attendee can fully engage and participate.

PowerPoints and Session Materials

To ensure consistency and accessibility in our presentations, all speakers have been encouraged to utilize the Council on Foundations Building Together PowerPoint Template. This template incorporates large font sizes and a simple design that we hope will enhance readability and ensure that the content is easily understood and followed by all attendees.

Our speakers were also given the opportunity to submit additional session materials for attendees to review. These materials can be conveniently accessed through our Building Together App, providing attendees with the flexibility to view them before, during, or after our sessions.

Quiet Rooms

Low Sensory Room (Open during plenary sessions)

We understand the importance of supporting people who need a lower-stimulation environment. If you need a quieter environment to listen in on our plenary sessions, you can access our low sensory room where you’ll be able to view a live feed from the Grand Ballroom. This space will be located in Private Dining Room #5 on the 3rd Floor.

Meditation/Prayer Space

Our conference Meditation and Prayer Space is designed for attendees that are looking for a peaceful and quiet space to reflect, relax, or regroup during the conference. This space will be located in Private Dining Room #7 on the 3rd Floor of the Hilton Chicago. Our meditation and prayer space will be available for all conference attendees from 7:00 AM until 5:00 PM CT daily. It is our intention to create an inclusive and welcoming environment that respects the diverse faiths and beliefs of all participants. We kindly request that all attendees honor the purpose of this space and contribute to its peaceful atmosphere by refraining from any disruptive or loud behavior.

Lactation/Nursing Space

We understand the importance of supporting our nursing parents, and we are delighted to provide a dedicated Lactation and Nursing Space to all of our conference attendees. This space will be designed to create a secure and comfortable environment for nursing or pumping throughout the conference. The Lactation and Nursing Space is equipped with a cozy chair, a table, and an electrical outlet to accommodate breast pump usage. The Lactation and Nursing space will be located next to our Meditation Space, in Private Dining Room #6 on the 3rd Floor. The room will be available for nursing parents from 7:00 AM until 5:00 PM CT.

To ensure privacy, only one family will be allowed to access our quiet rooms at a time. If you want to reserve a time slot for our quiet rooms, please visit the Building Together Registration Desk in Normandie.