April 20, 2026
National Home Visiting Week 2026
This week is National Home Visiting Week, an opportunity to celebrate the work of home visitors who provide vital support to young children and families. Our home visiting workforce in Illinois includes many dedicated professionals -- and this week, we're excited to shine a spotlight on seven home visitors who were nominated for the 2025 Home Visiting Impact Awards:
Acazia Rideout, Easterseals Chicago
How did you become a home visitor, and how long have you been in the field?
I became a home visitor in 2023. I was familiar with working with families and children, but not in their homes. That interested me, I wanted to be able to meet families where they are and provide them with services they were in need of. It was meaningful to be invited into their safe havens or lack thereof, as everyone does not have the same level of support at home. This was intimate and provided a different playing field. I felt that my work could be extremely intentional with this element, and it has been. I knew I could get families to open up and provide direct results that could show an overall enhanced family well-being, parental efficacy, and understanding of child development. I knew that I was meant to cultivate this. Home visiting for me, was more of a calling.
What's your favorite thing about home visiting?
My favorite thing about home visiting is building relationships with my families. I have been adopted into many villages. It's what we call the "imprint." It's that moment when you see the parents' walls drop, when you know they've truly let you in. It's when my families realize this is more than a job to me. It's when I see that they can see themselves. It's when the dots are connecting in front of you. It's when a parent is able to connect what their child is doing to what is happening in their current developmental stage. It's in the little things like thank you messages, and when multiple generations of a family tell you how much you have impacted and changed their lives. It's when the parents come to the door and the child you all share is doing their best to keep their balance as they run to you with wide open arms knowing you'll return their small but grand hug and pick them up. It's when you become a part of someone else's journey for the better. It's all about the relationships for me. The connections keep us going. It gets me out of bed every single day, and I could not do it without the families I have been blessed with. This is for them; it's bigger than me.
What do you do for fun?
I love to travel! When I am home, I am spending time with my favorite people. I am very into holistic wellness and social connections as a protective factor. I believe in relationship building in my personal and professional life. Outside of my time spent with others, I am a plant mom who enjoys taking care of her babies. You are most likely to spot me in the candle aisle at TJ Maxx.
What are your hopes & dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois?
My hopes and dreams are that seeds are planted into every home of every parent and child. I believe in the power of one. All it takes is one positive person, one healthy relationship, one choice to make a difference. I pray that everyone finds their one. This is how villages are built. This is community. This is the gift that keeps on giving. To every home visitor, brother, sister, friend, cousin, partner, grandparent - be that one. May we return to our roots and extend our arms out to one another. The youth need us, and we need each other.
Nicole Bleuer, Sinnissippi
How did you become a home visitor, and how long have you been in the field?
I became an early childhood home visitor in 2016. I had started my career as a child and adolescent mental health crisis clinician providing community and home-based mental health services before moving into an office-based therapist role working primarily with children and families. While in this role I was introduced to the field of early childhood mental health and was able to provide some mental health consultation to my agency’s Healthy Families Illinois program. I had always been drawn to the early childhood field and saw through my work as a therapist the need for strong support for families with young children so after the birth of my first child, I made a career switch and became a teacher in an Early Head Start center-based classroom. This experience gave me the opportunity to feel like I was making a difference by providing the consistent, responsive caregiving I had learned about during trainings on early childhood mental health. I approached my time in the classroom as mental health prevention work which coupled well with my co-teachers who had education backgrounds and were able to support my increased understanding of developmental milestones and teaching practices. As I built relationships with the families of the infants and toddlers in my care, I realized I could offer more support to more children and families by helping parents and caregivers to access and utilize information and resource to reach their parenting and family goals so after a few years in the classroom, I transitioned to an Early Head Start home-based position that used the Parents as Teachers curriculum. In this position, I found a field that I loved and have been fortunate enough to grow in. After three years of home visiting with Early Head Start, I went back to my roots and became the program supervisor and eventually the program manager for the Healthy Families program that had been part of my original introduction to the field.
What's your favorite thing about home visiting?
My favorite thing about home visiting is the people. Home visiting is a field where families and professionals from different backgrounds come together to work towards a common purpose in supporting the next generation. Families and home visitors are working towards a common goal of creating the best experiences and childhoods that they can so that every child can reach their full potential. However, no two families and no two home visitors are the same. Home visiting is a field where diverse perspectives are valued for the way they enrich lives, experiences, and relationships. Watching families and staff gain confidence in providing support to their child and families respectively will always be the best part.
What do you do for fun?
I enjoy spending time with my family, visiting state parks, reading, learning, and finding the joy in
the little things.
What are your hopes & dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois?
My hopes and dreams for the infant, toddlers, and expecting families in Illinois include building communities where all families with young children have access to supportive relationships, services, and information to help them prepare for and navigate through the earliest years of their child’s life. We know so much more about how our earliest relationships and experiences have a lasting impact on our wellbeing later in life and all families deserve to be supported in navigating that responsibility.
Sarah Funk, Metropolitan Family Services
How did you become a home visitor, and how long have you been in the field?
I became a home visitor in 2020 after experiencing 5 years in the classroom as preschool teacher. I enjoyed my years with hands on experiences with children and wanted to advanced my passion in supporting families outside the school setting.
What's your favorite thing about home visiting?
My favorite thing about home visiting is being a part of the family's journey as they are supporting their child's learning and development.
What do you do for fun?
Some activities I like to do for fun include reading and shopping. My husband and I are expecting our first child this summer and are excited for the new adventures it will bring!
What are your hopes & dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois?
My hopes and dreams for children and their families are for them to continue to grow together and build bonding relationships that will last for a lifetime.
Danielle Jackson-Mathis, Riverbend Families
How did you become a home visitor, and how long have you been in the field?
I have been working as a Family Advocate (Home visitor) for 3 years now. I actually got into the field just looking for work when my family move back to Illinois from California where by husband served in the US Navy. At that time I had a toddler myself and started looking up activities/educational things to do with my son and came across Riverbend. I just loved the mission statement, it just made sense and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.
What's your favorite thing about home visiting?
My favorite thing about home visit is seeing the progress. I am now at a point in my job when I can actually see the child I am working with go from home visiting to being at the Riverbend center and the next step is kindergarten.
What do you do for fun?
I love to read and explore new places with my family. I have two young kids (9 and 3 years old) so I love exploring with them, taking them to new places and trying new things.
What are your hopes & dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois?
My hopes & dreams for all families of Illinois is that there are more programs like Riverbend Head Start that meets you where you are at and grows with you. So many families can use the assistances and/or the support to know as a parent you are doing the right thing. When I was a first time parent I spent so many days thinking "Is there more I could be teaching for my child, is this enough and will they be ready to start Kindergarten without falling behind?" For me a place like Riverbend Head Start answers that and supports you as a parent.
Adriana Goad, Brightpoint
How did you become a home visitor, and how long have you been in the field?
I was looking for a career change after working for many years as a paramedic. I had become passionate about prevention-based services and took a chance on applying for a home visitor position, excited about the idea of supporting families through a crucial period of their parenting journey. I have been working in this role for almost three years now.
What's your favorite thing about home visiting?
I love watching a family “get it” for the first time. Sometimes it is them realizing the comfort skin to skin care gives a newborn, watching a child take their first steps after concerns for delay, or seeing how far they have come in the bond they have with their child. Other times it is watching them break the cycle of generational traumas one at a time and seeing them realize how this changes so much for their family. It never gets old watching “little” changes make big impacts. It also is very meaningful to be in the homes with families, meeting them where they are at in a nonjudgmental space.
What do you do for fun?
Anything that involves spending time with my kids, especially if outdoors. Playing at the park, going for walks, or eating dinner picnic style. If I was kid-free, I’d likely go thrifting then curl up with a book on the back patio with a sweet tea.
What are your hopes & dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois?
I would love to see intentional parenting become the “norm”. Infants and toddlers being able to sleep each day in a safe home, with parents who are invested in their attachment and meeting needs. To know that they are loved, deeply. I hope for expectant parents to know there are supports out there for them as they enter this new stage of life and that infant attachment starts prenatally. To know they CAN do this and do this well, even on the hard days of parenting. I also dream of all young children to have exposure to reading and early literacy, and for expectant parents to understand the benefits it has for the entire family.
Andrea Parga, Metropolitan Family Services Midway Center
How did you become a home visitor, and how long have you been in the field?
I was initially interested in a career in criminal justice, but I started home visiting to work with young parents and gain experience and fell in love with the role. November will be 11 years as a home visitor!
What's your favorite thing about home visiting?
My favorite thing about home visiting is seeing the progress in parents and children over time. Children inevitably grow and develop in so many ways but it's a joy to see parents experience this and develop confidence in themselves as parents and as people.
What do you do for fun?
I enjoy traveling to other cities and being out in nature.
What are your hopes & dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois?
My hopes and dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois are that they always have access to the support, resources, love, and guidance necessary for their health, happiness and success. It truly does take a village to raise a child, and every family is worthy of having all the tools they need to accomplish their goals.
Mary Boland, Teen Parent Connection
How did you become a home visitor, and how long have you been in the field?
I became a home visitor almost 12 years ago at Teen Parent Connection. I have always been passionate about supporting others, especially families. Home visiting allows me to build meaningful, trusting, and healthy relationships. I love being able to support families where they are at, physically and emotionally. This work has been a huge part of my identity.
What's your favorite thing about home visiting?
My favorite part of home visiting is creating a space where parents feel seen, heard and supported without judgement. Watching parents grow in confidence and seeing the bond between them and their children strengthen over time is incredibly rewarding. It’s an honor to be part of such important and special moments in their lives.
What do you do for fun?
Outside of work, I love spending time with my kids, my family and my best friends. I keep busy finding time to create special memories or ways to celebrate the people I love in my life. I also try to keep consistent with my health goals by trying new Peloton classes or weekly walks with my best friends.
What are your hopes & dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois?
My hope is that every family feels supported, empowered and connected to their community to help them thrive. I want all parents to feel confident in their role and know they are not alone. For all children, I hope they grow up in a safe, nurturing environment where they can reach their full potential to build strong, healthy relationships from the beginning. I believe that early support changes the trajectory of an entire family’s future, and I’m so grateful to play even a small role in that journey.
Shadida Shamsuddin, Carole Robertson Center
How did you become a home visitor, and how long have you been in the field?
I became a home visitor because I’ve always been passionate about supporting Rohingya families and helping young children get a strong start in life. I was drawn to the opportunity to work directly with parents and caregivers in their own environment, where real learning and connection happen every day. I have been in the field for over 4 years now, and during that time I’ve grown both professionally and personally through the relationships I’ve built with families.
What's your favorite thing about home visiting?
My favorite thing about home visiting is building meaningful relationships with families and watching their confidence grow. It’s incredibly rewarding to see parents recognize their own strengths and to witness children reach milestones. Being part of those small, everyday successes makes a big impact.
What do you do for fun?
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my daughter, listening to music, cooking, being outdoors, or trying new activities. I like doing things that help me relax and recharge so I can bring my best self to the families I support.
What are your hopes & dreams for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois?
My hope is that all infants, toddlers, and expecting families in Illinois have access to the support, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive. I want every child to grow up in a safe, nurturing environment where they feel loved and valued. For families, I hope they feel empowered, confident, and supported in their parenting journey, knowing they are not alone.
Our gratitude to Acazia, Adriana, Andrea, Danielle, Mary, Nicole, Sarah, Shadida and all Illinois home visitors!