Dear Lord be good to me. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small

The Children's Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind^® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. Full Mission Statement »

In rich America, one in five children lives in poverty. These are their stories »
Check out more than sixty mini-plenary sessions and workshops designed to dig more deeply into best practices and close the gaps between what we know and what we do for children »
CDF's gun report is dedicated to the memory of Trayvon Martin and the thousands of children and teenagers killed by guns each year in America. Download the report »
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Read the latest column from CDF president Marian Wright Edelman. More »

What elected officials need to focus on to ensure the future of every child. More »

How many students drop out of high school each day?

Incorrect

3,312 students drop out of high school each day in America.

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Creating Change: National Conference

Today, 16.4 million children in the United States live in poverty. Nearly one in four children under the age of five is poor. Together we can and must do better. Join the Children’s Defense Fund as we gather leading experts to present the latest research and best practices to close the gap between what we know works for children and what we do in practice. This one-of-a-kind conference will connect communities of child advocates, young leaders, faith leaders, policymakers, service providers and others to create real change for children at the state, local, and federal levels in 2012 and beyond. Learn more and register today »

CDF News

CDF–MN Celebrates Legislative Victory for Minnesota Children
May 1, 2012, CDF–Minnesota

Keeping Families Together Matters
April 30, 2012, Huffington Post

The Other America, 2012: Confronting the Poverty Epidemic
April 25, 2012, The Nation

Firm Leaves Miss. After Its Prison Is Called 'Cesspool'
April 24, 2012, National Public Radio

A Brooklyn School Saved Lives, and Some Now Try to Return the Favor
April 23, 2012, The New York Times

Marian Wright Edelman

Watch the video invitation and join us for our national conference in July.

conference overview »

CDF Freedom Schools® Are Stepping Up

CDF Freedom Schools scholars and servant leaders at the Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa produced this video to let the world know why they are stepping up for children!
CDF Freedom Schools in the news »