Children's Defense Fund

Children's Defense Fund Children’s Defense Fund builds community so young people grow up with dignity, hope, and joy!
(425)

The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit child advocacy organization. Since 1973, we have worked relentlessly to ensure a level playing field for all children. We champion policies and programs that lift children out of poverty, protect them from abuse and neglect, and ensure their access to health care, quality education, and a moral and spiritual foundation.

At Children’s Defense Fund, we know the fight for voting rights is inseparable from the fight for children. This Saturda...
05/14/2026

At Children’s Defense Fund, we know the fight for voting rights is inseparable from the fight for children.

This Saturday, May 16, Children’s Defense Fund will join actions in Alabama and North Carolina for National Day of Action for Voting Rights.

Dr. Don Darius Butler, CDF Board Chair and Pastor of The Concord Fellowship in Huntsville, will represent us in Alabama as communities gather for All Roads Lead to the South, a call to defend voting rights and continue the unfinished work of building a democracy where every family has a voice. Faith Community Church Pastor Wesley Morris will gather local advocates, faith leaders, students, and community members for a community organizing meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The dismantling of the Voting Rights Act is a reminder that we have unfinished business. This fight is ours — and we are going to finish it.

Join the and learn more: allroadsleadtothesouth.com

05/14/2026

Our right to vote is under attack and we are organizing!

On Saturday, May 16th at 1:00 PM, we will be joining national civil rights and voting rights organizations across 12 states to defend our right to vote!

Join us for A National Day of Action For Voting Rights, hosted locally at (417 Arlington Street, Greensboro, NC) co-hosted by Faith Community Church and

This powerful nationwide mobilization will begin with a “Moral Moment for Faith Leaders” event and a flagship rally held in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama. As an official satellite partner, Faith Community Church and the Beloved Community Center will host a local community organizing meeting to channel this national energy into local action.

For more than 30 years, the Hall-Proctor Institute has carried forward the legacy of prophetic preaching: the tradition ...
05/11/2026

For more than 30 years, the Hall-Proctor Institute has carried forward the legacy of prophetic preaching: the tradition of telling the truth about the world as it is and calling people toward the world our children deserve.

At Hall-Proctor, prophetic preaching does not avoid the hard things. It names injustice, nurtures hope, and reminds us that faith must move us toward action. Register today: https://www.childrensdefense.org/events/hall-proctor-institute-for-child-advocacy-ministry-2/

Every child deserves a teacher who sees their brilliance before they see it themselves.In CDF Freedom Schools®, our serv...
05/08/2026

Every child deserves a teacher who sees their brilliance before they see it themselves.

In CDF Freedom Schools®, our servant leader interns show up this way each and every day. They greet scholars each morning with joy, sit beside them as they discover the power of reading, and remind them that their voices matter.

Many of these young scholars go on to become educators because of what they learn in Freedom Schools: that teaching is not only about lessons and classrooms, but about helping children believe in themselves and in their power to change the world.

As CDF Founder & President Emerita Marian Wright Edelman wrote, children need adults “who believe in them and expect them to achieve, who love them, and whom they love so much that they live up to their expectations of success.”

This , we celebrate the educators in these photos and every teacher who mentors, challenges, nurtures, and inspires children to dream bigger and reach higher.

At Children’s Defense Fund, we are working to ensure children have access to the healing, support, and opportunity they ...
05/07/2026

At Children’s Defense Fund, we are working to ensure children have access to the healing, support, and opportunity they need to thrive.

Today, Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, we are reminded that too many children and young people are struggling, and often go without the support they need.

📌 In 2023, 2 in 5 high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
📌 1 in 5 students seriously considered su***de.
📌 More than 1 in 5 adolescents needed mental health treatment or counseling in the past year.

Children’s mental health is shaped not only by access to care, but by whether children have safe homes, supportive schools, stable families, and communities that nurture their wellbeing.

Our Children’s Health and Healing work calls for greater investment in school-based mental health services, trauma-informed care, and policies that put children’s wellbeing first. Read more about our work: https://www.childrensdefense.org/our-work/policy-advocacy/childrens-health-and-healing/

05/06/2026

You do not leave Hall-Proctor the same way you arrived.

You leave with language for the moment you are living in. You leave with sermons half-written in the margins of your notebook, new ideas for your classroom or congregation, and the phone numbers of people who now feel like family.

You leave remembering that the fight for justice is not only struggle. It is also worship, rest, and laughter.

Swipe through to see what you’ll take back from . Then register to join us: https://www.childrensdefense.org/events/hall-proctor-institute-for-child-advocacy-ministry-2/

Today, we recognize Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives, as well as their families and communiti...
05/05/2026

Today, we recognize Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives, as well as their families and communities who continue to fight for visibility and justice.

In 2025, the FBI recorded 5,303 missing-person entries for American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. Of those, 3,822 were for girls under 18.

This crisis is the result of generations of underinvestment, jurisdictional failures, data gaps, and systems that have too often failed to protect Indigenous people.

We grieve with families and communities carrying unanswered questions, and we stand with Indigenous leaders calling for truth and accountability.

This , we celebrate the educators who show up every day for children with patience, compassion, creativity, and care.Te...
05/04/2026

This , we celebrate the educators who show up every day for children with patience, compassion, creativity, and care.

Teachers do far more than teach. They encourage, advocate, mentor, comfort, and help children see what is possible.

At a time when many educators are navigating shrinking resources, increasing demands, and growing challenges in and outside the classroom, their commitment to children remains extraordinary.

🍎 Nearly 30% of school districts start teachers below $40,000 a year.
🍎 Teachers spent an average of $895 of their own money on classroom supplies during the 2024–25 school year.
🍎 20% of teachers now work a second job to make ends meet.

Real appreciation means more than words. It means ensuring every teacher has the support, respect, and resources they need to help every child thrive.

To every teacher: thank you. We see you, we value you, and we are grateful for all you do.

Hall-Proctor is more than a gathering. It is a place to be renewed.Year after year, faith leaders, organizers, and child...
05/01/2026

Hall-Proctor is more than a gathering. It is a place to be renewed.

Year after year, faith leaders, organizers, and children’s advocates come to Alex Haley Farm for worship, prayer, beloved community, and the strength to continue the sacred work of pursuing justice and joy for children.

If you’ve been before, you know. If you haven’t, we hope you’ll join us this July.

Register today: https://www.childrensdefense.org/events/hall-proctor-institute-for-child-advocacy-ministry-2

A youth is currently being held in immigration detention. Our Children’s Defense Fund staff in New York recently filed a...
04/30/2026

A youth is currently being held in immigration detention. Our Children’s Defense Fund staff in New York recently filed an amicus brief in support of their release.

📌More than 600 immigrant children were placed in federal shelters in 2025—the highest number in years.
📌Over 1,300 children were held in detention longer than the 20-day legal limit in a single year.
📌Immigration detention has reached record levels, with tens of thousands of people held on any given day.

Children belong in communities — not jail. They deserve care, stability, and support to grow and thrive.

There is no humane way to detain a child. We refuse to accept a system that places children in harm. This filing is just the first step. We will continue to use every tool available to protect children’s rights and well-being.

When our communities lose electoral power, our children lose too. Today’s Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais...
04/29/2026

When our communities lose electoral power, our children lose too. Today’s Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais is about more than maps. It’s about who is heard, who is represented, and whether our democracy continues to move toward justice or away from it.

The policies shaped by our democracy determine whether children have access to quality schools, healthcare, safety, and opportunity.

📌 Today’s ruling significantly weakens key protections under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
📌 Civil rights leaders warn it could further dilute the political power of Black and Brown communities.
📌 Decisions about democracy shape the future every child inherits.

At Children’s Defense Fund, we believe every child deserves a future where their communities are heard, their families are represented, and their voices matter.

Read our full statement on why this ruling matters for America’s children: https://www.childrensdefense.org/cdf-supreme-court-ruling-on-voting-rights-act-threatens-voices-for-black-and-brown-children/

Address

840 First Street NE, Suite 300
Washington D.C., DC
20002

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Children's Defense Fund posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category