Birth to Five Illinois Serves Madison County as Advocate for Young Families

July 26, 2025

Original coverage in Riverbender by Sydney Sinks.

Birth to Five Illinois advocates for kids and families.

Based out of Edwardsville, the Birth to Five Illinois Region 41 chapter serves Madison County. They offer several resources and councils that aim to increase support for community members with young children.

“We have families, we all have kiddos, but everyone feels like they’re doing this journey alone,” said Malayna Hutchins, Family and Community Engagement Specialist. “So when we bring them together and they say, ‘Oh, you know what, I’m going through the same thing, I’m struggling with this too’ — they’re like, ‘Why isn’t there anything where these people can come together and meet and share resources and talk about the struggles?’ That’s something that’s been really passionate for them.”

Hutchins oversees the Family Council, a division of Region 41 that brings together “family voices.” Adrienne Kaesberg, Regional Council Manager, helps with the Action Council. This group is composed of community leaders like superintendents, pediatricians and others who have a passion for supporting young families.

Kaesberg explained that the councils meet once a month to advise Birth to Five Illinois Region 41. Council members identify community members’ needs and collaborate with the organization to meet those needs.

In addition to overseeing the councils, Birth to Five Illinois Region 41 advocates for high-quality early childhood education and care. They work hard to support the 18,309 kids under age 5 who live in this region.

Kaesberg noted that families with kids ages birth to 3 are especially lacking resources. She also shared that Birth to Five Illinois is hoping to increase the teaching workforce by helping future educators. You can contact the organization for more information.

Ultimately, Birth to Five Illinois Region 41 aims to advocate for young families. They hope to increase their services, and they enjoy collaborating with other organizations to expand their reach in the Madison County community.

“We really see ourselves as community connectors,” Kaesberg explained. “Awareness is the biggest barrier that we really identified the very first year we were in. So how do we bring everybody to the table and really have those conversations? Any time we can partner or be at the table to really think about how we support the children and families who live throughout Madison County is what we want to do.”

For more information about Birth to Five Illinois Region 41, visit their official website at www.birthtofiveil.com/region41 or their official Facebook group.