Blogs

Response to Pritzker's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget.

By HL Admin posted 02-22-2024
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Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. #News
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ILLIONOIS ACTION FOR CHILDREN RESPONDES TO GOVERNOR PRITZKER’S ANNOUNCEMENT: LAUNCH OF UNIFIED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE AGENCY

By HL Admin posted 02-14-2024
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Chicago ...Today, at the Carole Robertson Center for Early Learning, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the launch of a new, unified early childhood state agency-eliminating the need for multiple state agencies to administer the early childhood education and care system (ECEC) in Illinois. While the Smart Start Illinois initiative served as a catalyst for this change, the new agency reflects the Governor’s role as a long-time early childhood champion with an unwavering commitment to advancing the recommendations proposed through the Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding. Read Response Here. This historic announcement ...
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eAdvocate Newsletter August

By HL Admin posted 09-29-2023
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In This Issue: August eAdvocate This month, we welcome a new member to our team and update you on the latest available advocacy opportunities! Don't miss other resources in this newsletter including available grants, scholarships, and advocacy opportunities. Introducing IAFCs New Assistant Director of Advocacy We’re excited to welcome Neoma Nagahawatte as our Assistant Director of Advocacy. Most recently, Neoma co-managed the Partnership for Equity and Education Rights in Illinois (PEER IL), a coalition of parents, lawyers, policy experts, and community organizations fighting for full and fair public school funding. Neoma has over a decade of experience ...
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eAdvocate Newsletter July

By HL Admin posted 09-29-2023
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This Issue: July eAdvocate This month, we need your help to take action to protect critical ECE programs on the federal level! Don't miss other resources in this newsletter including available grants, scholarships, and advocacy opportunities. CALLING ALL PROVIDERS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO! IDPH Announces $10 Million Program to Provide Air Purifiers to Improve Air Quality in Child Care Centers Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced on July 21 that the state is offering more than 20,000 HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) purifiers at no cost to child care centers in Illinois ...
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WTTW Chicago Tonight: Black Voices featured our Senior Vice President of Programs

By HL Admin posted 09-21-2023
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WTTW Chicago Tonight: Black Voices featured our Senior Vice President of Programs, Shauna Ejeh, to discuss the end of pandemic-era federal funding at the end of September. Shauna addresses how the expiring child care funds will impact families and communities in Illinois and nationwide. Watch the full clip here: Chicago Tonight: Black Voices | Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 8, 2023 - Full Show | Season 2023 | WTTW #News
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Chalkbeat Chicago interviewed IAFC’s Assistant Director of Research

By HL Admin posted 09-21-2023
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Chalkbeat Chicago interviewed IAFC’s Assistant Director of Research, Marcia Stoll, about our recently published 2023 Report on Child Care in Cook County. The article highlights how COVID-19 emergency funds stabilized the industry during the pandemic, and underlines child care providers' ongoing need for more funds stay in business and keep services affordable for families stay in business. Read the full article here. #News
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eAdvocate Newsletter June 2023

By HL Admin posted 06-22-2023
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This Issue: June eAdvocate This month, we celebrate our wins from the 103rd General Assembly legislative session and update you on the latest on available grants, scholarships, and advocacy opportunities! Don’t miss the graphic below highlighting the most significant wins for early childhood so far this year. Illinois General Assembly Passes Smart Start Illinois On May 27, 2023, the Illinois General Assembly adjourned as state lawmakers passed the budget for fiscal year 2024. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the budget into law on June 7, 2023, at Christopher House in Chicago. We are pleased to see funding at historical levels that will go into early childhood ...
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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSES SMART START ILLINOIS IN FY 2024 BUDGET

By HL Admin posted 05-30-2023
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MEDIA STATEMENT 5.27.23 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSES SMART START ILLINOIS IN FY 2024 BUDGET Today, the Illinois General Assembly passed the FY24 state budget (SB250), which includes funding for Governor Pritzker’s Smart Start Illinois initiative. This is a multi-year plan that aims to transform the early childhood education and care field for the state of Illinois. With the funding appropriated by the General Assembly this fiscal year, Smart Start Illinois will create additional preschool slots, provide more stable funding for child care providers that will go towards increasing teacher salaries and maintaining high quality programs, and reach more vulnerable ...
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Illinois Cares for Kids: Child Care Assistance Program

By Karen Brown posted 05-24-2023
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The cost of childcare these days can feel too enormous to bear… that’s where the Child Care Assistance Program steps in. Illinois Action for Children’s Vice President of Family and Provider Resources, Chris Tokarski joins WGN9 to share how families can get the help they need without the large cost. View the interview #News
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Illinois’ government has spent billions in federal pandemic aid. What do some programs do when the money runs out?

By Karen Brown posted 05-04-2023
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Article published by WBEZ | May 5, 2023 By Camryn Cutinello Illinois has received billions in federal relief money during the COVID-19 pandemic. But there will be no new rounds of aid from Washington after federal and state COVID emergency orders expire on May 11. That means a revenue stream will be drying up for many programs that were launched by state agencies to cope with the far-reaching effects of COVID. Agencies say they will be able to continue those programs with federal funding until at least 2024, with a requirement that they spend the money by 2026. After that, some programs will wind down because they have served their purpose or they are ...
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eAdvocate Newsletter April 2023

By Karen Brown posted 04-27-2023
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Advocacy Day Recap Early Learning Advocacy Day: Building Tomorrow, Together was a success! On April 18, more than 300 supporters of early childhood care and education (ECEC) boarded buses from their respective neighborhoods from across the state. We, the Village coalition joined forces with Raising Illinois and Child Care for All and issued our loudest rallying cry yet to urge legislators to prioritize our state’s youngest residents. The day’s highlight was a rally in the Capitol where Illinois Action for Children CEO April Janney had the privilege of introducing Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Stratton who joined us to promote the Smart Start ...
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Pritzker, Stratton join advocates for early childhood lobby day

By Karen Brown posted 04-19-2023
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Hundreds of people from across Illinois were in the Capitol rotunda Tuesday advocating for early childhood investments. Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton joined We The Village , Raising Illinois , and Child Care for All in asking lawmakers to stand up for the state's youngest children. Pritzker hopes Democrats and Republicans will support his Smart Start Illinois plan with investments in preschool, child care, early intervention, and early childhood facilities. The governor is calling for $250 million in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget to launch the program. Click here to continue reading the article. ...
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eAdvocate Newsletter March 2023

By Karen Brown posted 03-30-2023
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Advocacy Day 2023: Updates Advocacy Day 2023 will take place on Tuesday, April 18 in Springfield. We are excited to see how eager early childhood advocates are to tell Illinois legislators to support child care. Registration has reached capacity. However, you can still sign up for the waitlist. Please email elizabeth.wilson@actforchildren.org with any questions. If you'd like to brush up on your advocacy skills, please register for the training that COFI, Latino Policy Forum, and We, the Village are hosting over the next two weeks. Anyone can attend this training. You don't have to be registered for Advocacy Day. April 5 at 6 p.m. CDT Enrollment ...
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Vice President of Family and Provider Resources, Chris Tokarski Interviews on WGN-TV

By Karen Brown posted 03-27-2023
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On March 27, 2023, Chris Tokarski, Vice President of Family and Provider Resources was interviewed by WGN-TV's Daytime Chicago where he discussed CCAP as part of the INCRRAA's larger Illinois Cares for Kids Campaign. Click here to watch the segment. #News
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Hidden Hazards: 2022 Children's Products Calls

By Karen Brown posted 03-24-2023
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High Number of Children’s Products Recalled Due to Excessive Levels of Lead, Violations of Federal Flammability Rules New KID report finds highest number of children’s product recalls since 2013 Chicago, IL – Today, Kids In Danger (KID) released a new report, Hidden Hazards: 2022 Children’s Products Recalls, analyzing children’s products recalls in 2022. Last year had the highest number of children’s product recalls since 2013; 100 recalls making up 34% of all products recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The report found that 19 children’s products were recalled due to excessive levels of lead content in 2022; the highest number ...
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iheart Radio on CCAP Services

By Karen Brown posted 03-22-2023
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On March 23, 2023, IAFC's Erick Saldivar, Family Resources Support Services Manager spoke on iheart radio regarding the CCAP and services offered. Listen to the recording here. #News #News
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WLIT-FM iheart Radio on CCAP Services

By Karen Brown posted 03-22-2023
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On March 23, 2023, IAFC's Wannetta Kinsey, Director of Family Resources, spoke on WLIT-FM (an iheart radio station) regarding CCAP and the services its provides. Listen to the interview. #News #News #ChicagoEarlyLearning #newsletter
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Child Care Assistance Program

By Karen Brown posted 03-22-2023
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Wannetta Kinsey, Director of Family Resources, had an interview with WBBM’s Jane Clauss to increase awareness of the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). #News #News
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The State of Early Childhood Education in Illinois

By Karen Brown posted 03-22-2023
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For the most part, free public education in the U.S. starts at the kindergarten level, when children are around age 5. But research continues to reveal just how critical the first few years after birth are to long-term outcomes. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed Smart Start program would allow an additional 5,000 kids to go to preschool next year, eventually adding a total of 20,000 slots. The plan would also add money to increase wages for early education providers. Illinois Action for Children CEO April Janney said she thinks Pritzker’s proposal is the next iteration of making Illinois a leader in early childhood education. “I think Illinois overall has ...
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WBBM-FM Stations Air CCAP Interview with Chris Tokarski

By Karen Brown posted 03-11-2023
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Senior Vice President of Family & Provider Resources Chris Tokarski discussed the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) as part of the Illinois Cares for Kids campaign to increase enrollment in early child education and care programs. Our organization is leading the initiative to spread the word throughout Chicago and the western suburbs and supporting our statewide Child Care Resource & Referral partners. Chris’ radio interview aired on three WBBM-FM stations on Sunday (March 12).  Listen to the recording by clicking here. #News
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