Religious Action Internships

The Religious Action Division calls faith communities to put their beliefs into action by seeking justice for all children. The sacred texts, teachings, and traditions of every religion call for protecting and nurturing "the least of these." CDF's mission is shaped by the same moral imperative, guided by the deep faith commitment of CDF's Founder and President Marian Wright Edelman, and reflected in the very words of our logo: "Dear Lord, Be Good to Me. The Sea Is So Wide and My Boat Is So Small."^®

For more than 20 years, CDF has worked closely with national religious leaders and organizations, state and regional bodies, and local congregations, leaders, and lay people. Religious people and organizations—with millions of members, deep roots in communities across the country, a history of caring for children, and moral authority—are indispensable to building a successful Leave No Child Behind^® movement.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Assist with the mobilization, organizing and follow-up efforts for religious communities to advocate on behalf of children through participating in the National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths^® celebrations and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry.
• Research and gather data on religious communities involved in various child advocacy ministries for the Religious Action listserv.
• Develop and maintain databases, well-organized filing systems, and mail distribution procedures, and order supplies to accommodate the multi-faceted work of the division.
• Perform other division, department, and organization-wide special projects as needed and assigned.
• Be able to meet the educational component of the CDF internship program, including luncheons, seminars, and trips.

Preferred Experience (Qualifications):

• Interested in thinking and communicating theologically about how faith influences one’s world-view and behavior.
• Comfortable functioning in religious settings.
• Ability to work effectively and calmly in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with daily deadlines.
• Strong organizational and execution skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Commitment to social advocacy and CDF’s mission to be a voice for all children in America.
• Must be familiar with database use and design (i.e. Microsoft Excel, Access, etc.)
• Ability to organize facts and present issues in a clear, concise and logical manner, both orally and in writing, is essential.