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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

Sweet Pea Academy

1412 W 87th St, Chicago, IL 60620

Run by Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, Inc.

Early Head Start

YMCA - Garfield

7 N Homan Ave, Chicago, IL 60624

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

YMCA - Marshall

3250 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60624

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

YMCA - Marshall

3250 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60624

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

YMCA - North Lawndale

3449 W Arthington St, Chicago, IL 60624

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

YMCA - North Lawndale

3449 W Arthington St, Chicago, IL 60624

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

YMCA - Rauner

2700 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60608

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

YMCA - Rauner

2700 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60608

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

YMCA - South Side

6330 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60637

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Early Head Start

YMCA - South Side

6330 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60637

Run by YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Head Start

YMCA Garfield

7 N Homan Ave, Chicago, IL 60624

Run by Recipient - Start Early

Head Start

YMCA McCormick

1834 N Lawndale Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Run by Recipient - Start Early

Head Start

YMCA Rauner Family

2700 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60608

Run by Recipient - Start Early

Head Start

YMCA South Side

6330 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60637

Run by Recipient - Start Early

Head Start and Early Head Start

Young Achievers Academy

520 E 79th St, Chicago, IL 60619

Run by Henry Booth House

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.