We The Children’s direct work with high-need families drives our innovative and effective programs and advocacy. Supporting children by supporting families is a proven and effective means to address overarching issues of endemic poverty.
We serve 150,000 children and families every year to ensure they have access to high-quality early care and education opportunities. In 2020, we helped distribute more than $150,000 in gift cards and funding to families and providers experiencing negative impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
OUR IMPACT
Advocating for Better Policies
Our advocates work to ensure that the policies impacting children and families reflect the current research, best practices, and the real-world experience of parents and providers.
State and federal funding help keep child care affordable for working families. Our work helps influence leaders to enact changes that lead to better futures for children, families, and communities. Some of the things we’ve accomplished include:
Securing annual increases in most early childhood education funding streams over the last several years
Improving access to early care and education by increasing income eligibility, capping parent copays, and protecting our youngest learners from expulsion in licensed child care and state-funded preschool
Restoring the Child Care Assistance Program after new rules in 2015 restricted eligibility for 90 percent of applicants
Providing Quality Early Learning
Illinois Action for Children is a leader in the early care and education community. We serve more than 1,100 children directly through our early learning programs.
Developing Stronger Community Systems
Through comprehensive local systems involving child care providers, community leaders and families, we strengthen support networks that serve all children. Working together, we create access to high-quality early care and education for families who need it most.