State Senator William Delgado (D-Chicago) coordinated with executives and parents from the Children’s Place Association to provide other members of the General Assembly with a tour of their facility in Chicago. The facility specializes in providing high-quality early education and support services to pre-K children from families challenged by illness and poverty. Children’s Place relies on government funding for approximately 87 percent of its operations. The budget the governor recently proposed eliminates all funding for Children’s Place from the Department of Human Services budget.

Children’s Place serves over 70 children each weekday, providing them with age-specific classrooms, nutritious meals, transportation and a private playground. In addition to providing exceptional educational programs, Children’s Place Association has on-site nursing care available for students. A significant portion of the children who attend Children’s Place have disabilities or health issues including autism, HIV, heart ailments, epilepsy, spinal bifida and hydrocephalus. For many of the children, this is the only early education facility they can attend due to their illness.