Senator Durbin Visits El Valor Cantu Children & Family Center
El Valor recently welcomed U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) to the Cantu Children & Family Center in Little Village to discuss the impact of federal policies on the community. Durbin met with staff and families to address concerns about the federal grant funding freeze, ICE actions, and other executive orders affecting El Valor’s programs.
With 70% of its funding coming from federal sources, including Head Start, El Valor provides critical services such as dual-language instruction, mental health support, and parental resources to over 4,000 children, adults with disabilities, and families annually. The funding pause has created challenges for El Valor and similar programs supporting working families.
Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia also joined the visit to discuss the broader impact of these policies on Chicago communities.