Policy in action is a distinguishing CDF characteristic. Through nationwide initiatives and community-based programs, we plant the seeds to develop the next generation of servant-leaders who will continue to reweave the fabric of community for children and youth. Our vision is to create a successor generation of servant-leaders who will drive community and national transformations and inspire and make long-term improvements for children.

CDF and the Black Community Crusade for Children’s (BCCC) Young Advocate Leadership Training (YALT®) Program

An overarching Children’s Defense Fund priority is to build a strong, effective successor generation of young servant leaders to carry on the struggle for freedom and justice. CDF has committed to a five year campaign to train 5,000 next generation leaders, at least half of them Black males, to ensure a robust youth leadership pipeline and ongoing structures for service and advocacy in communities across America. Through the Young Advocate Leadership Training (YALT®) program, CDF provides a beginner, intermediate, and advanced training series to equip the next generation’s leaders with the skills and support needed to take national, state and local action to replace the cradle to prison pipeline with a pipeline to college, productive work, and successful adulthood. Learn more about the YALT program.

CDF's National Office Beat the Odds^® Awards Dinner 

On November 15, 2011, CDF hosted its annual Beat the Odds awards dinner in Washington, D.C. to celebrate and honor five inspiring young people from the Washington, D.C., area with a scholarship to attend college. These five students have overcome tremendous challenges to beat the odds and excel academically.

Learn more about this year’s scholarship recipients.

Are You Looking for an Exciting and Meaningful Internship?

CDF offers internships in its national and state offices in a variety of areas including policy, communications, finance, and CDF's Freedom Schools^® program. Interns are essential to CDF's operations and previous CDF interns have gone on to lead national and international organizations, be elected to federal and municipal government, found and run nonprofits and change the lives of children in amazing ways.

Learn more about CDF's internship program and apply today!