Get Involved
Action Center
Our coalition is made up of advocates of all kinds: early childhood providers, policy professionals, legislators, parents and community members, and we know that advocacy is nothing without action. Here in our Action Center, you'll find a variety of different actions that you can take in support of Illinois' infants, toddlers and expecting families. If you have an action you'd like to see here, send the information to communications@raisingillinois.org. Actions will be updated regularly, so check this space often and make sure you're following us on Twitter @RaisingIllinois for the latest updates!
Raise Your Voice! How Will The HHS Funding Freeze Impact You?
Raising Illinois
Raising Illinois is collecting stories from providers on how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Funding Freeze will impact you, your family and your community.
Timeline: Ongoing
Child Care for All Committee Storytelling Roundtable
Child Care for All
Please join the WCRJ Child Care Committee in person on Saturday, January 24th from 12PM-2PM for a Child Care Storytelling Roundtable!
As we work together to foster widespread community support for child care investments, we must develop messaging that speaks to as many people as possible. That's why your stories are so important - the more stories we share, the more people begin to identify with our experiences and our cause. We want to hear from you!
Timeline: January 24, 12 p.m.-2 p.m. CT
Take Action for Child Care Funding!
We, the Village
The Federal Administration has taken steps to freeze or withhold billions of dollars in federal child care and social service funding, including funds relied upon by Illinois families and providers. This includes essential programs funded through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), such as the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). As of 1/9/26, a federal judge paused the federal administration’s $10 billion social safety net funding freeze, temporarily restoring funds to Illinois. The order will expire in 14 days if the judge doesn’t take further action. Congress still needs to hear from you.
Timeline: Now-end of January 2026
Save Our SNAP: Deep Dive Series on Pending Changes in Illinois
Illinois Commission to End Hunger
On July 4, 2025, the federal government passed a new law that makes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps). All states, including Illinois, are now required to implement the changes that could affect neighbors’ SNAP eligibility or require them to take extra steps to receive SNAP benefits.
SNAP is our nation’s front-line of defense against hunger. It helps feed approximately 1.9 million Illinois residents who are living on limited income. We need help from advocates and community leaders across the state to make sure families know about the program changes and how to stay enrolled.
For individuals and organizations that support Illinois neighbors to enroll in and navigate the program, the commission will also be hosting a webinar series in early 2026 to dive deeper into the technical policy changes and implementation. This series is ideal for benefit enrollers/navigators, social service providers, and policy experts.
Timeline: Tuesday, February 10th from 1-2 pm CT
Make Your Voice Heard on Early Childhood Education and Care!
University of Illinois, Northwestern University and Western Illinois University
Calling all parents and caregivers!! Please complete a survey on your views of early childhood education in the state of Illinois. This survey is part of a research-practice partnership to understand how Multilingual children and families are currently being served in birth to five settings across our state and to develop training, support, and messaging that can help create equitable and accessible early learning experiences for multilingual learners and their families.
Timeline: Ongoing
Coffee With Daniela
Shriver Center on Poverty Law
Daniela Velez-Clucas, Shriver Center Healthcare Justice/Immigration Attorney is hosting bi-weekly virtual gatherings where enrollment assisters and community members can bring their questions regarding immigrant eligibility for health coverage, enrollment in Medicaid/Medicaid-like programs like HBIA/HBIS and other questions at the intersection of immigration law and health care coverage.
Daniela Velez-Clucas, abogada de justicia de salud/inmigracion del Centro
Shriver, esta organizando reuniones virtuales quincenales donde las asistentes de
inscripcion y las miembros de la comunidad pueden hacer sus preguntas sobre elegibilidad de las inmigrantes para la cobertura de salud, inscripcion en Medicaid y programas similares a Medicaid, como HBIA/HBIS y otras preguntas en la interseccion de la ley de inmigracion y la cobertura de atencion medica.
Questions/Preguntas: danielavelezclucas@povertylaw.org
Timeline: Every other Friday morning from 10-11 a.m. CT
Illinois Nontraditional-Hour Child Care Study (INCCS)
Erikson Institute
Over one in three young children in the U.S. are in child care during nontraditional hours (NTH; including early mornings, evenings, nights, and weekends). This project addresses critical gaps in knowledge about what quality looks like in child care; the experiences of families who search for and use NTH child care; the lived experiences of providers who offer care during these hours; and the types of supports needed to maintain, sustain, and grow the supply of NTH care. The knowledge gathered will provide IDHS and other states with new knowledge to inform policy development aimed at building supply and increasing equitable access, enhancing quality, and sustaining a thriving NTH child care workforce.
We invite you to read the report, and continue to check this space for updates! This study will continue into 2026.
Disclaimer: The foregoing is publicly available information about upcoming events, resources, and reminders from third-party organizations. In some cases, Raising Illinois & Start Early have included links to other websites that are not owned or controlled in any way by Raising Illinois or Start Early, but that contain additional information about the events, resources or reminders. By clicking on any of the links above, you agree to be directed to the external website and you acknowledge and agree that Raising Illinois & Start Early shall not be held responsible or accountable for any information contained on such site. Please note that Raising Illinois & Start Early do not monitor any of the websites linked herein and do not endorse or approve any information posted on any such sites.