Governor Pritzker Launches Illinois Cares for Kids Statewide Enrollment Campaign “I Got Love / ¡Siento Amor!”
Enrollment Campaign “I Got Love / ¡Siento Amor!”
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker announced the launch
of “I Got Love / ¡Siento Amor!”, the statewide enrollment
campaign for childcare and early education services, featuring
Illinois artists, musicians, and production partners.
Since March 2020, the state has provided $978 million in
early childhood stability and recovery. While this investment
allowed providers to keep their doors open (97% of licensed
provider recipients remained open at the end of 2021), enrollment
has decreased as an ongoing result of the pandemic.
To help increase early childhood and care enrollment
statewide, the campaign is investing $12.7 million in amplifying
information about Illinois’ one-stop-shop for all things
early childhood, the Illinois Cares for Kids website, which has
a search engine for local programs, information on child care
subsidy programs, and many other resources on the importance
of early learning. Illinois Cares for Kids is a place parents,
grandparents, caretakers, teachers, and childcare providers can
access all things related to early childhood in Illinois.
“We’re making Illinois the best state in the nation to
raise a child – and it’s essential to ensure families have access
to affordable early childhood education and care to build a
strong foundation for a lifetime of learning,” said Governor JB
Pritzker. “Illinois Cares for Kids helps Illinois families choose
from hundreds of local providers to find the right match for their
children.”
The ‘I Got Love / ¡Siento Amor! campaign is available in
English and Spanish and features an Illinois-based local artistic
collaboration spreading the message that Illinois is full of people
who care. The campaign will target families in need of childcare
and early learning supports to showcase the importance of early
learning programs and how the state can support families looking
to enroll in one. “I Got Love’ / ¡Siento Amor! was a natural
vehicle to musically convey the message. Nat King Cole, the
singer of “I Got Love,” has roots in Illinois, having gained early
fame as a piano player while living in Chicago.
The enrollment campaign is part of Governor Pritzker’s
Learning Renewal Efforts and is a collaboration between the
Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development, Illinois
Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, Illinois
Department of Human Services, and the Illinois Board of Higher
Education.
“We want to increase awareness among families that early
childhood education programs are consistently open, safe, and
serving children. We want Illinois families to feel empowered
to quickly and efficiently locate early childhood education educators
and resources,” said Dr. Jamilah R. Jor’dan, Executive
Director, Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development.
The Illinois Department of Human Services, through the
Division of Early Childhood, provided funding for community-
based outreach grants. These grants support local community
outreach to increase enrollment and are available to all 102
counties across Illinois. The state identified a need to reach communities
.”
The campaign also includes a statewide Text Messaging
Platform, Ready for K, that offers fun facts and tips on children’s
learning and development, available in multiple languages.
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