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Chicago, Illinois

Head Start and Early Head Start in Chicago, IL

227 open Head Start and Early Head Start locations in Chicago, from the federal Office of Head Start.

Head Start and Early Head Start

Christopher House-Uptown

4701 N Winthrop Ave, Chicago, IL 60640

Run by Christopher House

Head Start and Early Head Start

Cuddle Care Academy

4800 S Lake Park Ave, Chicago, IL 60615

Run by Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, Inc.

Head Start and Early Head Start

Erie Neighborhood House

1701 W Superior St, Chicago, IL 60622

Run by Carole Robertson Center for Learning

Head Start and Early Head Start

Eyes on the Future

6969 N Ravenswood Ave Ste A, Chicago, IL 60626

Run by Eyes on the Future

Head Start and Early Head Start

Family Focus South Shore

7037 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60649

Run by Recipient - Start Early

Head Start and Early Head Start

First Start South

5700 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60636

Run by Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, Inc.

Head Start and Early Head Start

GH Archer

4234 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60632

Run by Gads Hill Center

Head Start and Early Head Start

GH Brighton Park

4255 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60632

Run by Gads Hill Center

Head Start and Early Head Start

GH Ogden

2653 W Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL 60608

Run by Gads Hill Center

Head Start and Early Head Start

Gilchrist Marchman

1312 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60608

Run by Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, Inc.

Who can enroll

Head Start serves children ages 3 to 5 (ask the center about its birthday cutoff date). Early Head Start serves pregnant women, babies and toddlers under 3. Both are free for families who qualify.

Families usually qualify when household income is at or below the federal poverty guideline for their family size, or when the family gets public assistance such as TANF or SSI, the child is in foster care, or the family is experiencing homelessness. Programs may also enroll some children from families just above the guideline, and each program sets its own application steps and waitlist, so ask the center.

Official HHS poverty guidelines (current year) · Head Start's own center locator

Also in Chicago

Licensed child care and after-school programs in Chicago · Youth nonprofits in Chicago · Illinois program rules

Source: Head Start Service Location Dataset, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start (CSV file), file dated November 8, 2026. The information is reported by each Head Start grant recipient and can be out of date, so call the center to confirm its address, hours and openings. Locations the program lists as closed are left out. Home-based locations show city and ZIP code only. A listing is not an endorsement.