03.27.17

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $58 Million for Head Start Programs in Chicagoland Area

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $58,065,218 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs in the Chicagoland area.

“This funding will help level the playing field for thousands of families in the Chicagoland area by promoting healthy development and school readiness for kindergarten and elementary school children,” said Durbin.  “The Head Start program is the source of countless success stories in Illinois and around the country—it’s a stepping stone children need to succeed from elementary school to college and beyond.”

“Every child deserves the opportunity to reach his or her full potential, which is why it’s so important that programs like Head Start have the resources they need to support Illinois children and families,” Duckworth said.  “These investments in childhood education and parental support services will help provide children throughout Chicago with the tools they need to succeed both in and outside of the classroom.”

Under this announcement, the following Chicagoland providers will receive funding for Head Start and Early Head Start programs:

  • Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Joliet, Inc. (Joliet, IL): $2,317,106
  • City of Chicago (Chicago, IL): $45,504,714
  • Chicago Commons Association (Chicago, IL): $1,207,200
  • Ounce of Prevention Fund (Chicago, IL): $5,009,592
  • YWCA Metropolitan Chicago (Chicago, IL): $4,026,606