Erikson Institute
Erikson Institute, a unique hub of graduate education, professional training, community programs and policymaking, is focused on ensuring that all children have equitable opportunities to realize their potential. Erikson’s work in these varied and critical areas is focused on improving the lives of young children, which in turn impacts families and the communities where they live. Erikson recently launched a 12-month intensive teacher preparation program with a triple endorsement in early childhood education, special education, and dual language (at no-cost with a four-year service obligation to teach in predominantly Black of Brown communities), which will grow and diversify the Illinois' teacher pool and further prepare teachers for any student coming into their classroom.
Family Focus
Family Focus invests in strengthening families and their children in Chicago and NE Illinois so they build social capital and achieve upward economic mobility through high-quality innovative programs and services that are grounded in anti-racism and social justice. Family Focus Highland Park (FFHP) concentrates on children birth to five and their families. Its Parents as Teachers (PAT) home visiting program supports the critical role of early parenting by supporting over-burdened families and empowering them to overcome the challenges they face. The primary objectives are to foster the healthy development of young children, reinforce parent-child relationships through parental involvement and education, and introduce the families to community resources.
Lake County Health Department iGrow
Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center’s coordinated intake program, iGrow Lake County, is a home visiting service for expectant mothers and families with children up to age five who reside in the county. Through the voluntary program, families are matched with a trained professional who will provide one-on-one family support and coaching in the family’s home. The Health Department coordinates intake for home visiting services provided by ChildServ, One Hope United and Family Focus. If the family needs additional support, the home visitor provides information and referrals to services.
One Hope United
One Hope United increases opportunities for children and families by providing quality solutions that enhance lives, communities, and futures. It offers early childhood education, prevention, intervention, and community-based programs. Its North Chicago Parents As Teachers program, in partnership with Kids Above All and Family Focus, is part of the Lake County Health Department’s iGrow coordinated intake program. OHU's Lake County prevention provides education and support that increases parent awareness of early child development and improves parenting practices. With the continued lack of quality early childhood facilities in Lake County, the PAT program provides support systems to low income families that need it the most.
Round Lake Area School District 116 Mountaintop Project
Mountaintop Project is designed to support, educate, and empower parents to better prepare their children for kindergarten and is focused on removing barriers and providing increased access to this type of educational experience. In coordination with local hospitals, RLASD registers children as district students at birth. Goals for Mountaintop Project include increased parental competency and engagement with their children; increased parenting skills; increased resources and support services within the Round Lake community; increased parental competence to advocate for their children in an educational and community setting; and engaged parents to ensure kindergarten readiness for their children and intervention if needed.
Start Early
Start Early gives children the best chance for success in school and in life by delivering quality programs and advocacy that support the healthy development of children and parents; developing and deploying program, policy and research innovations that empower families, enhance workforce capacity, and enable policymakers to build equitable systems; and driving collective action to democratize access to knowledge and accelerate progress. In Lake County, Start Early administers the parents as teacher training that is used by all of the GFF-supported home visiting programs. It is also working to construct a state-of-the-art Educare facility that will provide quality early education for children under the age of five from Beach Park, Zion, and Waukegan.