Start Early

Start Early, formerly known as The Ounce of Prevention Fund, is a nonprofit organization in Chicago that promotes early childhood development in underserved communities across Illinois.[1][2] Their programs include Educare Chicago, the Educare Learning Network, and Home Visits for Homeless Families.[3] They base their programs off of early childhood development research.[1][2]

Ounce of Prevention Fund
Formation1982 (1982)
TypeNon-profit
Legal status501(c)(3)
Region served
Cook County
President
Diana Rauner
Main organ
Board of Directors
Websitewww.startearly.org

History

The Ounce of Prevention Fund was founded by businessman and philanthropist Irving B. Harris in 1982.[4] Harris believed that time needed to be dedicated early on in the lives of children in Chicago's impoverished communities to fight the cycle of poverty.[5][6] It is why Start Early focuses on early childhood education, home visiting programs, lobbying, and research for early childhood development.[1][2]

Throughout the late 1980s Start Early created and funded its early programs such as the Center for Successful Child Development, and its home visiting services.[7] In 1983, Start Early worked to reduce the economic costs associated with teen pregnancy and parenting by working with local Chicago community agencies.[8]

In 1991, Harriet Meyer, then the Executive Director of Start Early, was appointed president of the nonprofit.[9] As president of Start Early, she lobbied for early childhood development programs.[9] In 2010, Meyer stepped down and Diana Rauner became the organization's president.[10] Prior to her appointment as president, Rauner served as the Executive Director and a board member for Start Early.[10] She followed Meyer's lead of lobbying for early childhood development programs and funding in her 2017 suit towards then governor of Illinois and husband Bruce Rauner due to a lack of funding by the state budget.[11]

In 2013, Start Early disbursed around $17 million to early childhood agencies around the state.[12]

In 2020, The Ounce of Prevention Fund officially rebranded to Start Early.

Programs and partnerships

Educare Chicago

Educare Chicago is a school on Chicago's South Side for children ages 0 to 5 that was founded by Start Early and the Irving Harris Foundation in 2000.[13] The Montessori-style curriculum of the school provides classes that focus on the emotional and academic development of children in the early stages of their lives.[3] The school also puts emphasis on parent involvement in their child's emotional, social and academic development.[14]

After partnering with The Buffet Early Childhood Fund, the model used for Educare has been expanded to 24 other schools in the United States.[3][15]

Home Visiting for Homeless Families Demonstration Project

The Home Visiting for Homeless Families Demonstration Project partners with providers of home visits in the Chicago community and homeless shelters to bring medical resources to homeless families.[16][17] Started in Fall of 2013, the program focuses on helping homeless families get the medical attention and health-related resources they need. In the same year of its start, the Homeless Families Demonstration Project provided service to 160 families.[17] From 2013 to 2018 the program encountered funding problems.[17]

Parents Too Soon

Parents Too Soon is a program that provides a network of support for teen parents in Chicago.[18] In this program, parent educators enter homes and give teen parents advice on how to best support their child's social, emotional, and cognitive growth based on research done by Start Early.[18] The program also helps parents set personal goals for themselves such as saving money, finishing high school, and job searching.[18]

University of Chicago Urban Education Institute

Start Early partnered with the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute (UEI) in 2009 to conduct further research and build education models that help children and families in low income areas succeed in and outside of school.[19]

Start Early has collaborated with Illinois Governor's Office, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, Children's Home and Aid, and Healthy Families Illinois to help Erikson Institute steer committee initiative and train home visiting staff.[20]

Funding

Start Early is a public and privately financed nonprofit with an annual budget of $74 million.[1][4][21] Some of its large funders include the Irving Harris Foundation, the Harris Family Foundation, the Robert McCormick Foundation, the Steans Family Foundation, Helen and Sam Zell, the Crown family, and the Buffett Early Childhood Fund.[4]

In 2014, Start Early received a $10 million donation from the Zell Family Foundation.[22]

In 2016, the Pritzker Children's Initiative, run by J. B. Pritzker and Mary Kathryn Muenster, donated $5 million to Start Early.[23]

References
  1. Center, Foundation. "Ounce of Prevention Fund". Philanthropy News Digest (PND). Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  2. "Ounce of Prevention Fund | Devex". www.devex.com. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  3. "Educare Chicago | Ounce of Prevention Fund". Educare. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  4. "Diana Rauner won't let politics get in the way of Ounce's success". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  5. "Irving B. Harris, Philanthropist". www-news.uchicago.edu. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  6. Beck, Joan. "The Cycle of Poverty and Failure". Tulsa World. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  7. "The Ounce of Prevention Fund, Annual Report 2017 – Innovation in Early Learning". annualreports.theounce.org. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  8. Fund, Laura Devon, The Ounce of Prevention. "TEEN PARENTING". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 5, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. "The Importance of Early Childhood Development" (PDF). Government Publishing Office.
  10. Manchir, Michelle. "Diana Rauner, Illinois' next first lady, to stay focused on early education". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  11. "Diana Rauner's nonprofit among group again suing governor, state". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  12. "Diana Rauner's dual roles put her in the eye of the budget storm". Crain's Chicago Business. June 3, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  13. "History of Educare". Educare. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  14. Kelleher, Maureen. "A Visit to Chicago's Educare". Education Week – Early Years. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  15. "GRANTEE HIGHLIGHT: Ounce of Prevention Fund". jralbertfoundation.org. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  16. "Home Visiting | Ounce of Prevention Fund". Ounce of Prevention Fund. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  17. Wetsman, Nicole (August 27, 2018). "How a Chicago Program Gives Homeless Families Hope for a Healthier Future". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  18. Banchero, Stephanie. "Better parenting: Home visits show young mom how to break her family's cycle of violence". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  19. "Birth-to-College Partnership with The Ounce of Prevention Fund | Urban Education Institute". uei.uchicago.edu. Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  20. "Early Childhood Project with the Illinois DCFS". Erikson Institute. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  21. "Meet the most powerful women in Chicago Business". Crain's Chicago Business. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  22. "Diana Rauner won't let politics get in the way of Ounce's success". Crain's Chicago Business. March 8, 2017. Archived from the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  23. "J.B., M.K. Pritzker give $5 million to Ounce of Prevention Fund". Crain's Chicago Business. August 1, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
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