Direct Service Programs

We began our center-based work in the 1980s, serving communities in and around Chicago’s Grand Boulevard neighborhood. At the time, the neighborhood was home to the Robert Taylor Homes, one of the largest public housing developments in the poorest census track in the country. There, we launched our first Head Start program, providing early learning services to children ages 3-5 and later expanding our services to infants and toddlers.

When the Chicago Housing Authority announced its plan to demolish the Robert Taylor Homes, many families began leaving the community. Start Early decided to stay, continuing to support the families who remained.

We also began an ambitious initiative to build our own early childhood education facility to serve families displaced by the loss of their homes on Chicago’s South Side. Through partnerships with Chicago Public Schools, the Office of Head Start, and private philanthropy we built our first Educare school, Educare Chicago, in 2000.

Start Early operates Educare Chicago, a state-of-the-art early childhood school that provides infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families with the best quality care and education. Our comprehensive program incorporates what science says young children need to thrive and partners with parents to help them become champions for their children’s education.