July 07, 2020

Duckworth, Durbin Announce $29 Million For Head Start Programs In Illinois

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and today announced that eight organizations around Illinois will receive a total of nearly $30 million in federal funding to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs. This funding comes through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that allocates funding, provides technical assistance, and helps build strategic partnerships in order to promote the social and economic well-being of children and families.

 “Programs like Head Start and Early Head Start are critical to giving kids throughout Illinois the tools they need to succeed both inside and outside of the classroom—and will be especially important in the eventual aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic,”  Duckworth said. “Investments in early childhood education and parental support programs go a long way toward helping all children access their full potential and I’m proud to continue supporting this program.”

“Head Start programs are sources of countless success stories in our state and remain crucial for the healthy development of young children,” Durbin said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has only compounded the economic challenges faced by many of the families served by these programs.  This federal funding will help level the playing field by supporting early learning and family well-being.”  

The following organizations have been awarded funding:

  • Evanston/Skokie Community Consolidated School District 65 (Evanston): $3,088,541
  • Heartland Head Start, Inc. (Bloomington): $3,685,937
  • Illinois Action for Children (Chicago): $6,565,711
  • Mount Vernon City Schools, District 80 (Mount Vernon): $1,753,184
  • Northwestern Illinois Community Action Agency, Inc. (Freeport): $1,374,069
  • Springfield Urban League, Inc. (Springfield): $6,135,337
  • Wabash Area Development, Inc. (Enfield): $4,912,482
  • Quincy Public Schools, District #172 (Quincy): $2,032,980