Sorensen announces $8.6 million grant for local childhood education

Congress Eric Sorensen announced a nearly $8.6 million grant for the City of Rockford to administer early childhood education to families in Northern Illinois.

“Making sure our kids have access to the classroom is a critical step to putting our children on the road to success,” said Sorensen. “I’m proud to see our tax dollars coming back to my hometown of Rockford to support working families in Northern Illinois and contribute to our region’s growth.” 

The grant comes from the Department of Health and Human Services and will be used specifically for the city’s Head Start program.

“I want to thank Congressman Sorensen for his staunch advocacy on behalf of Rockford,” said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. “More than $8 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be coming to Rockford to help our local Head Start program, which provides free services to pregnant moms, children and their families through full-day, part-time, home-based and center-based services.”

Head Start is a national program that serves more than 36 million children.