Durbin, Duckworth announce more than $20 million for Head Start programs in Illinois

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 $20,356,447 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs throughout Illinois.

“This funding will help level the playing field for thousands of families in more than 25 counties across Illinois 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 our state’s children with the tools they need to succeed both in and outside of the classroom.”

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

• BCMW Community Services, Inc. (Centralia, IL): $1,321,971
  • BCMW Community Services, Inc. serves approximately 440 children in Bond, Clinton, Franklin, Marion, and Washington Counties.
• C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation (Effingham, IL): $1,447,811
  • C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation serves the families of 440 preschool children and 102 infants, toddlers, and pregnant women in Christian, Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Montgomery, Moultrie, and Shelby Counties.
• Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity, Inc. (Peoria, IL): $3,008,368
  • Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity, Inc. serves approximately 696 children in Peoria County.
• Riverbend Head Start and Family Services (Alton, IL): $2,922,675
  • Riverbend Head Start and Family Services serves children and families in Madison County.
• Southern Seven Health Department (Ullin, IL): $1,603,714
  • Southern Seven Health Department serves more than 500 families in Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, and Union Counties.
• Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville, IL): $5,537,678
  • Southern Illinois University Head Start serves families in Jackson and Williamson Counties.
• Tazewell Woodford Head Start (East Peoria, IL): $1,318,002
  • Tazewell Woodford Head Start serves approximately 350 families in Tazewell and Woodford Counties.
• Tri-County Opportunities Council, Inc. (Rock Falls, IL): $3,196,228
  • Tri-County Opportunities Council, Inc. serves 585 children and their families in Bureau, Carroll, LaSalle, Lee, Marshall, Ogle, Putnam, Stark and Whiteside Counties.

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