Introducing: 2024 Family Leaders

February 23, 2024 Introducing: 2024 Family Leaders Welcome to our 6 new Family Leaders! After a year marked by remarkable prenatal-to-three achievements and the launch of Governor Pritzker’s Smart Start Illinois initiative, we are thrilled to expand our Family Leader program and welcome 6 new members to our team! The aim of our Family Leader…

Read More

Thoughtfully Engaging Our Communities

Mother and child playing

Thoughtfully Engaging our Communities in 2024 Family, Field, and Community Engagement Lead Jesse Rojo shares what’s on the horizon Raising Illinois takes great pride in our commitment to Family, Field, and Community Engagement, a cornerstone of our coalition’s mission. We know that families and community members are the experts in their own lived experience. Our…

Read More

Applications Open for Family Leader Program 2024

Join Us! Raising Illinois’ Family Leader Program Applications for our 2024 Family Leader Program are available, due February 5 Lee En Español Do you know firsthand some of the challenges facing infants and toddlers? Are you looking to make a difference in the lives of Illinois’ little ones? Are you a parent, guardian or involved…

Read More

Early Childhood Advocacy Day 2023

Baby in yellow advocacy day shirt sitting on mom's lap

Early Childhood Advocacy Day 2023 Advocates like you made the day a success! Thank you! On April 18, Raising Illinois along with our partners at Child Care For All, COFI, Illinois Action for Children, SEIU, Start Early and We, the Village brought over 300 advocates down to Springfield to advocate for Illinois’ youngest learners. Advocates…

Read More

An Interview with Family Leader Mykela Collins

An Interview with Family Leader Mykela Collins Family Leader Mykela Collins was recently featured in a SchoolHouse Connection webinar that accompanied the release of their new report on infant/toddler homelessness and access to early learning. We interviewed her about why this issue is so close to her heart. Why did you agree to get involved…

Read More

Family Leaders Reflect on the National PN-3 System Building Meeting

Smiling baby with sippy cup

Family Leaders Reflect on the National PN-3 System Building Meeting When Lettie Hicks first received the news that she was going to Baltimore for the National PN-3 System Building Meeting, organized by the Prenatal-to-Three Capacity Building Hub, as a Baltimore Ravens fan, her first reaction was joy. The excitement soon turned to focus on the…

Read More

Reflection on Family Leader Meeting

toddlers playing in classroom

Family Leaders Share Challenges & Solutions for Accessing Early Childhood Programs On May 12, after celebrating Mother’s Day, the 12 Family Leaders hosted a Parent Town Hall, where we were joined by over 60 participants from throughout Illinois. After telling their individual stories and briefly reviewing the six Raising Illinois policy workgroups, Family Leaders facilitated…

Read More

Introducing: 2022 Family Leaders

Introducing: 2022 Family Leaders Welcome to our 12 Family Leaders! We are thrilled and grateful to have you on board.  In order for Raising Illinois to lead a movement that will fundamentally improve the lives of young children, we recognize that, in fact, families with those young children must inform the movement. Specifically, families from…

Read More

Family Leader Program, 2021 Application

Mother holding baby clapping

Join Us! Raising Illinois’ Family Leader Program Applications for our 2021 Family Leader Program are available, due November 3 Do you know firsthand some of the challenges facing infants and toddlers? Are you looking to make a difference in the lives of Illinois’ little ones? Do you have volunteer experience advocating for early childhood issues…

Read More

Raising Illinois Aplicación para Líder de Familia 2021

Woman holding smiling baby on tummy

Raising Illinois Aplicación para Líder de Familia 2021 Las solicitudes para nuestro Programa de Líder de Familia 2021 están disponibles, hasta el 3 de noviembre ¿Conoce de primera mano algunos de los desafíos queenfrentan los bebés y los niños pequeños? ¿Está buscando hacer una diferencia en la vida de lospequeños de Illinois? ¿Tiene experiencia como…

Read More