Spreading the Word as We Strive for Equity
Scroll down to read all Birth to Five Illinois news coverage, or you can click to read the coverage from your Region.
Birth to Five Illinois: Region 51 News
The Chatham Chamber shares new Community Resource Directory flyers made by the Region 51 Team (Menard & Sangamon Counties) and several of their partners!
New Day Care and Academy Fills Former Rockford Day Nursery
A new child care and Early Childhood Education academy has filled the former Rockford Day Nursery!
Region 34 Council Manager Invited to Join Roundtable on Affordability with Congressman Jeffries
Dane Cruz, Region 34 Council Manager, joined Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Congressman Brad Schneider, and several community leaders to discuss affordability challenges for families in Cook and Lake Counties.
Birth to Five Illinois Updates its Action Plan Including Progress on Crisis Nursery
Region 49 Council Manager, Emily Cummings, and Family & Community Engagement Specialist, Heather Anderson, share important Action Plan updates for Rock Island County.
INTERVIEW: Birth to Five Illinois
Emily Cummings and Heather Anderson from Region 49 talk about their efforts to support families in Rock Island County on this WHBF-TV interview.
Saline County Receives $12,500 Grant as Birth to Five Illinois Hits $12 Million Milestone
WSIL News 3 announces the group in Region 20 that received one of our Planning Grants!
Birth to Five Awards Grants to West-Central Illinois Groups
Jacksonville Journal-Courier announces groups in Regions 1, 11, and 40 that received one of our Planning Grants!
Coles Co. Child Care Collaboration gets Birth to Five Illinois Grant
WAND News announces the group in Region 11 that received one of our Planning Grants!
Saline County Early Childhood Receives Grant from Birth to Five Illinois
WRUL announces the group in Region 20 that received one of our Planning Grants!
PRESS RELEASE: Birth to Five Illinois Reaches $12M Funding Milestone to Support Early Childhood Collaborations
Announcing the new Birth to Five Illinois Planning Grant recipients and $12M in funding allocated to Local Early Childhood Collaborations.
Issues & Attitudes, February 9th, 2026
Angie Hunt, Region 11 Council Manager, describes Birth to Five Illinois and provides updates on the family-centered efforts in Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie, and Shelby Counties in this WEIU Issues & Attitudes episode.
CommunityVotes Rockford 2025 - Birth to Five Illinois Wins Platinum in the Child Care Services Category
Birth to Five Illinois was voted Platinum (first place!) as part of the CommunityVotes Rockford 2025 campaign! Congratulations to our Region 4 Team and Council members in Boone and Winnebago Counties!
Manley Meets with Birth to Five, Early Intervention Community Collaboration
Read about the Birth to Five Illinois Community Collaboration Meetings that led to the establishment of the Illinois Legislative Neurodiversity Caucus by Representative Manley and Senator Cappel!
Birth to Five Illinois Working to Improve Access to Early Childhood Education
Region 49 (Rock Island County) Council Manager, Emily Cummings, and Family & Community Engagement Specialist, Heather Anderson, go LIVE on WQAD to discuss their Early Childhood Action Plan!
Birth to Five Illinois to Host Parenting Workshop in Moline
Emily Cummings, Region 49 Council Manager, returns to KWQC to discuss several areas of focus for her Team and Council members based on the recommendations of Rock Island County families.
Lets Talk Local - Birth to Five Illinois (w/ Nicole Bach)
Check out Nicole Bach (Regional Council Manager) and Kris Cozzi (Family & Community Engagement Specialist) from Birth to Five Illinois: Region 44 (McHenry County) on this episode of Let’s Talk Local!
Along the Rock: S3 Ep 2-It Takes a Village: Local Resources for Raising Children in the Sauk Valley
Read and/or watch Abby Hoskins from Birth to Five Illinois: Region 47 and Anji Garza, representing the Sauk Valley STARS Coalition, discuss their collaborative efforts to support children and families in Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside Counties!
United Way Screenings
FREE developmental screenings are available for children from birth to age five in Champaign County through a partnership between Birth to Five Illinois, United Way of Champaign County, the Champaign County Home Visiting Consortium.
20 Under 40: Brittany N. Peterson — Young People Belong in the Conversation
Congratulations to Brittany Peterson, the Birth to Five Illinois: Region 1 Family & Community Engagement Specialist, for being recognized as one of the 2025 ‘20 under 40’ by the Jacksonville Journal-Courier!
GUEST COLUMNIST - Early Childhood Programs: A Smart Business Investment with Real Returns
Livia Bane, Region 4 Council Manager (Boone & Winnebago Counties) is a featured Guest Columnist in the December 2025 issue of the Voice from the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce.