Head Start Focus of Recent Foundation Effort

As Illinois works to build a more streamlined and equitable early childhood education system, federal funding, especially for Head Start, remains a vital cornerstone. Recently,  the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and the W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation, hosted Making Invisible Funding Visible: The Role of Federal Funding in Illinois’ Early Childhood System that brought together leaders from across the field to explore how federal dollars support early learning in Illinois and what’s at stake if that support is lost. Panelists included Yvette Sanchez Fuentes (Start Early), Tommy Sheridan (National Head Start Association), Amy Blythe (Easterseals), and Amanda Wike (Dixon Chamber of Commerce & Main Street / ReadyNation Illinois). Together, they shared local stories, policy insights, and strategies to strengthen advocacy at this critical juncture.