Two Rivers Head Start Agency

What Two Rivers Head Start Agency does

Two Rivers Head Start Agency is a private non-profit Community Action Agency headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, that delivers federally funded early childhood education and family support services to income-eligible households in Kane and DeKalb counties. Founded in 1965 as part of the federal Head Start program under President Johnson's War on Poverty, the agency operates four Illinois DCFS-licensed centers — Aurora Central (also housing the Food Pantry), Aurora West, Sycamore, and Elgin — providing Head Start preschool services for children ages 3–5, including a full-day/full-year KEYS Session option for working parents. Beyond preschool, the agency administers Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) programming that bundles intake/referral, GED assistance, emergency financial assistance, childcare subsidies (up to 50% weekly co-payments), college scholarships, online tutoring, job training, and senior assistance for Kane County residents.

The agency operates a non-proprietary technology stack built around third-party tools: enrollment flows through the ChildPlus portal accessible via website or QR code in English and Spanish; community outreach runs through a toll-free 800-number, a Facebook page, and partnerships (notably Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Community Action Partnership network). No APIs, mobile apps, or proprietary platforms are disclosed. Governance rests with a 15+ member Governing Board of Directors, chaired by Dawn Munson, alongside a Policy Council that includes parents of currently enrolled children.

Revenue mechanics depend overwhelmingly on two recurring federal grants — Head Start (Grant 05CH011694 from HHS/Office of Head Start) and CSBG — supplemented by small tuition co-payments (notably the KEYS Session), private donations, and in-kind contributions. Pricing for Head Start is free for income-eligible families; Food Pantry distribution is no-cost to Kane County residents and operates by appointment. Distribution is regional across two Illinois counties, with go-to-market driven by community referrals, partnerships, QR-code-driven digital intake, and direct in-person outreach at the four licensed centers.

Name

Two Rivers Head Start Agency

Legal name

Two Rivers Head Start Agency

Website

https://trhsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Two Rivers Head Start Agency is an Aurora, Illinois-based non-profit Community Action Agency delivering federally funded Head Start preschool (ages 3-5) plus CSBG wraparound services such as food pantry, childcare assistance, GED, and job training across Kane and DeKalb counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education and Community Social Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (6244), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA), Developmental Screening & Assessment (0–5) (EDACAFAA)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Head Start preschool
• Community action services
• Food pantry services
• Family support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Head Start Grant: Primary funding from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Grant Number 05CH011694). This grant supports comprehensive early childhood education services for income-eligible children ages 3-5.
2. Community Services Block Grant (CSBG): Federal CSBG funding received to provide community action services to assist income-eligible residents in Kane County achieve self-sufficiency through various support programs.
3. Tuition Payments: The agency accepts tuition payments for certain programs. Weekly co-payments may apply for families needing childcare in the KEYS Session program, though these may be waived for up to three months.
4. Donations: The organization accepts monetary donations and donations of new children's items such as books and winter coats for children aged 3-5 years. Many donations are tax-deductible.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Two Rivers Head Start Agency is a federally funded Community Action Agency that delivers early childhood education, childcare, food distribution, and family self-sufficiency services. Its primary offerings are the Head Start Preschool Program for income-eligible children ages 3-5 in Kane and DeKalb counties, Illinois, supplemented by a Food Pantry and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) programs including GED assistance, emergency financial aid, childcare subsidies, college scholarships, job training, and senior assistance.

Product overview

Two Rivers Head Start Agency operates as a Community Action Agency offering a coordinated portfolio of services for income-eligible families in Kane and DeKalb counties, Illinois. The core offering is the Head Start Preschool Program for children ages 3-5, which includes standard Full-Day Sessions and the extended KEYS Full-Day/Full-Year option for working parents. The agency also delivers the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program providing complementary social services including GED assistance, emergency assistance, childcare subsidies, college scholarships, tutoring, job training, and senior assistance. A Food Pantry, operated in partnership with Northern Illinois Food Bank, rounds out the offering by addressing food security needs. These programs work together to support family self-sufficiency and children's school readiness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Head Start Preschool Program A comprehensive preschool program for income-eligible children ages 3-5 in Kane and DeKalb counties, promoting kindergarten readiness through research-based curriculum, developmental screenings, and family engagement. Free to income-eligible families.
• KEYS Session (Full-Day/Full-Year) Extended-day childcare option available from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., 12 months per year, accommodating working parents' schedules. Weekly co-payments may apply and may be waived for up to three months.
• Food Pantry Food distribution service operated in partnership with Northern Illinois Food Bank, serving Kane County residents by appointment at the Aurora Central Office. Food may be received up to twice a month at no cost.
• Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program A suite of services for income-eligible Kane County residents including intake/referral, GED assistance, emergency financial assistance, childcare subsidy, college scholarships, online tutoring, job training, and senior assistance.
• Childcare Assistance Program Program assisting working parents with daycare costs at DHS-approved licensed childcare facilities, providing up to 50% weekly co-payment coverage.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Northern Illinois Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo Rivers Head Start Agency operates a Food Pantry in partnership with the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The Food Pantry is located in the Central Office building in Aurora and distributes food to Kane County residents by appointment. This partnership enables monthly distribution of DHS Commodities and donated food to income-eligible families.
• Community Action PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo Rivers Head Start Agency is part of a Community Action Partnership that helps people and changes lives. This national network of community action agencies works to alleviate the effects of poverty through coordinated services and advocacy.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Start Early (formerly Ounce of Prevention Fund): Chicago-based nonprofit focused on early childhood education for low-income families from birth through age five, operating Head Start and Early Head Start programs — directly comparable to Two Rivers in mission, funding model, and target population.
• Brightpoint (formerly Children's Home & Aid): Illinois-headquartered child and family services nonprofit delivering early childhood, foster care, and family support programs across the state, sharing Two Rivers' dual Head Start and community services model.
• McHenry County Community Development Block Grant / Community Action Agency: Adjacent Illinois Community Action Agency serving low-income families with CSBG-funded programs and early childhood services — a near-clone of Two Rivers' operating model in a neighboring county.
• Community Action Partnership of Greater DuPage: Community Action Agency serving DuPage County with CSBG and early childhood programming, providing direct competition for federal grant dollars and overlapping target populations in northern Illinois.

Others

• Northern Illinois Food Bank: Regional food bank partner that supplies Two Rivers' Food Pantry; a comparable scale food-distribution nonprofit serving the same 13-county northern Illinois footprint.
• National Head Start Association: National membership and advocacy organization representing Head Start grantees like Two Rivers; provides training, policy advocacy, and funding connections that shape Two Rivers' operating environment.

Broad incumbents

• Easter Seals (Easterseals): National nonprofit delivering disability, early childhood, and family services including Head Start programs in Illinois; broader portfolio but overlapping services to low-income families with young children.
• YMCA of Northern Illinois: Regional YMCA operating licensed childcare, early learning, and community programs across northern Illinois — comparable community-services footprint and target demographics.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago: Large regional social services nonprofit operating Head Start, food pantries, and emergency assistance in the same northern Illinois service area; broader scope but directly overlapping service lines.
• Salvation Army (Metropolitan Division, Chicago): National social services organization delivering Head Start, emergency assistance, food distribution, and family support across Illinois — a broad incumbent in the same federal funding and service ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tworiversheadstart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/two-rivers-head-start-agency

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Two Rivers Head Start Agency