December 12, 2023

Duckworth Highlights Nearly $1 Million in Congressionally Directed Spending to Boost Educational Support for Children in Lake County

 

[DES PLAINES, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Kids Above All leadership over the weekend after securing $975,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending Request to help the youth support organization offer young children in underserved Lake County communities the comprehensive educational support that all children deserve. These Duckworth-secured federal funds will go toward Kids Above All’s partnership with North Chicago Schools, which focuses on helping ensure children in Lake County reach developmental milestones and are ready for kindergarten. Photos of the meeting are available on the Senator’s website.

“Our state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our communities and families—and that’s one of the things Congressionally Directed Spending allows us to do,” said Duckworth. “I’m so proud I was able to secure this critical support for Kids Above All, and I’m dedicated to ensuring Illinois continues to build upon our early childhood education efforts. Investing in child development—and in working families—is key to helping build a better future.”

“This critical funding ensures more children in under-resourced communities in Lake County will have access to high quality early childhood education, so they are ready to succeed in school,” said Kids Above All President & CEO Dan Kotowski. “We are grateful to Senator Duckworth for her leadership and efforts to secure this essential support, which will build better lives for children and families impacted by poverty, violence, and injustice.”

In FY22, Duckworth and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) secured $211 million through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for Illinois and another $182 million for Illinois in FY23. A map detailing where funding has gone throughout Illinois can be found here. The CDS process enables Members of Congress to allocate existing funding for specific local projects by units of government, nonprofit organizations and other organizations that meet strict eligibility requirements. Senator Duckworth worked with an Independent Review Board to examine and evaluate worthwhile projects focused on building infrastructure, stimulating economic development and providing essential services for Illinois communities.

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