Illinois Action for Children

Illinois Action for Children Uplifting Children & All Who Care for Them

Illinois Action for Children is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to quality, accessible early learning and care opportunities for children. With nearly 500 employees representing more than 20 programs and service across four sites, we have championed the cause of quality child care and early education for families and children throughout Illinois for over 50 years. Illi

nois Action for Children is a state and national leader in the early care and education community, distinguished by its "Strong Families, Powerful Communities"​ approach to child development, preschool education and other family and community supports. This broad approach to supporting children by supporting families is a proven and effective means to address overarching issues of endemic poverty, which are the root cause of the educational failure of America's poorest children. Illinois Action for Children's outreach and work with low-income, hard-to-reach families, has led us to research and implement highly effective and innovative programs and advocacy to ensure that early care and education, and other opportunities, are accessible to the children most in need. Highlights from our programs include:

- Public Policy & Advocacy organizing to expand access to child care and early education, and other supports.
- Early Learning Programs to make early education available to young children so they will be ready to succeed when they start school.
- Resource and Referral Program to connect child care providers, parents, and employers with resources such as child care referrals, professional development, health services and community supports. Our mission is to be a catalyst for organizing, developing and supporting strong families and powerful communities where children matter most.

Meet Sonia Andrade!Sonia has over 28 years of experience in early childhood education, beginning as a Head Start volunte...
08/21/2026

Meet Sonia Andrade!

Sonia has over 28 years of experience in early childhood education, beginning as a Head Start volunteer and growing into leadership roles across teaching, coaching, and program development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Northeastern Illinois University and currently serves as an education coach. Sonia is passionate about professional development, mentoring, and equity-driven practice, and is committed to strengthening educators’ impact through collaborative leadership, continuous learning, and innovative approaches to early childhood education.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment, Sonia. We're lucky to have you as a 2026 Maria Whelan Leadership Institute’s Emerging Leaders Fellow!

Registration is officially open for our Provider Summit 2026! Join fellow early childhood professionals on September 26 ...
08/20/2026

Registration is officially open for our Provider Summit 2026! Join fellow early childhood professionals on September 26 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a day of learning, collaboration, and inspiration centered on this year's theme: "Resilient Educators, Resilient Children."

This is your chance to connect with peers, gain practical strategies, and invest in your professional growth by earning up to five hours of Gateways credits.

Learn more and register today: https://hubs.li/Q04tJ9LR0

Get ready for the new school year with Parent University Chicago West! Join us on September 5 for a fun-filled day of le...
08/17/2026

Get ready for the new school year with Parent University Chicago West! Join us on September 5 for a fun-filled day of learning, connection, and resources for the whole family. Enjoy engaging workshops, hands-on activities, free back-to-school supplies, food, child care, and on-site dental cleanings, flu shots, and immunizations through our partners Helping Hands Dental and Walgreens, starting at 11 a.m. Everything you need to prepare for a successful school year, all in one place.

Register today: https://hubs.li/Q04tgb6k0

Meet Shamika Morgan!Shamika is an assistant site director with 15 years of experience in early childhood education. She ...
08/17/2026

Meet Shamika Morgan!

Shamika is an assistant site director with 15 years of experience in early childhood education. She is deeply passionate about supporting children and families, with a strong focus on family engagement and building meaningful connections. Shamika also mentors educators entering the field, helping to guide their growth and development. Committed to continuous learning, she seeks to strengthen her leadership skills while collaborating with others to advocate for children, families, and high-quality early childhood programs.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment, Shamika. We're lucky to have you as a 2026 Maria Whelan Leadership Institute’s Emerging Leaders Fellow!

Meet Najeeda Jones! Najeeda Jones is an education and nonprofit professional with over nine years of experience supporti...
08/14/2026

Meet Najeeda Jones!

Najeeda Jones is an education and nonprofit professional with over nine years of experience supporting children, families, and communities. She serves as an assistant site supervisor at Catholic Charities, fostering positive, growth-focused environments. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood administration and has worked with organizations including Child Care Resource & Referral, Easterseals, and Illinois Action for Children. Najeeda is passionate about leadership, collaboration, and developing solutions that strengthen communities and expand opportunities for those she serves.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment, Najeeda. We're lucky to have you as a 2026 Maria Whelan Leadership Institute’s Emerging Leaders Fellow!

Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and every family deserves access to the support they need to succeed. Ou...
08/13/2026

Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and every family deserves access to the support they need to succeed. Our 2025 Annual Report highlights the impact we made together as we work to strengthen families, expand access to child care and early learning, and build more equitable communities across Illinois. Read the stories, explore the results, and see what’s possible when we invest in children and families: https://hubs.li/Q04sXQhl0

Children and families deserve access to strong, high-quality Head Start programs. Newly proposed federal changes could w...
08/10/2026

Children and families deserve access to strong, high-quality Head Start programs. Newly proposed federal changes could weaken important standards for education, health, family engagement, and support for children with disabilities and multilingual learners.

Illinois Action for Children stands in solidarity with our state and national partners to protect quality, safety, equity, and family voice in Head Start.

These changes have not yet been finalized—and the public has an opportunity to speak out. Make your voice heard! Submit a public comment and contact your members of Congress today.

Learn more about what is at stake and how you can take action: https://hubs.li/Q04ssS7H0

Advocacy in action! Today, Illinois Action for Children joined families, child care providers, educators, advocates, and...
08/07/2026

Advocacy in action! Today, Illinois Action for Children joined families, child care providers, educators, advocates, and community partners at a regional early childhood community conversation in Kane County.

Hosted in partnership with the We, the Village Coalition and fellow advocacy organizations, the event created space for meaningful dialogue, connection, and resource sharing. Together, we ensured families had access to information, support, and opportunities to make their voices heard.

Thank you to everyone who participated and continues to champion children and families across Illinois.

ICYMI: Illinois Action for Children received a transformational grant from A Better Chicago through their Every Day Coun...
08/07/2026

ICYMI: Illinois Action for Children received a transformational grant from A Better Chicago through their Every Day Counts initiative! We are so grateful for this investment which will expand our Community Connections program that works with schools and families to reduce chronic absenteeism on Chicago's west side.

Read more about the grant and our plans to deepen our impact here: https://hubs.li/Q04sjB8W0

Everything is so expensive right now. Save money on your daily commute by joining a Pace Vanpool! Illinois Action for Ch...
08/06/2026

Everything is so expensive right now. Save money on your daily commute by joining a Pace Vanpool! Illinois Action for Children has partnered with Pace to make traveling easier and affordable for working parents.

Learn more on how to keep local travel costs low through Pace Vanpool here: https://hubs.li/Q04s9tzN0

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4762 N. Clifton Avenue
Chicago, IL
60640

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