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Policy Updates Victory: Vital Children's Health Coverage Protected June 30, 2008 Passed (House): Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act June 25, 2008 Passed (House): Fostering Connections to Success Act June 24, 2008 News: Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act Filed June 18, 2008 CDF Calls President Bush's FY09 Budget Shameful February 4, 2008

Latest News Child Welfare & Mental Health "Advancing Kinship Care" Washington Times, July 2, 2008 "Raise foster care age-eligibility to 21" The Hill, July 15, 2008 Child Health NPR compares health care for pregnant women in the U.S. and France July 10, 2008 Education "The Next Kind of Intergration" New York Times, July 20, 2008 CDF signs "A Bolder, Broader Approach" Statement Child Poverty "Edelman Renews Call to Help Poor Children" Toledo Blade, April 17, 2008 CDF Report Finds Low-Income Families Lose Billions to Predatory Commercial Tax Preparers March 26, 2008 Juvenile Justice "Investing In Our Nation's Youth" Louisiana Weekly, July 28, 2008  "Mass Incarceration of Children Must End" Huffington Post, July 3, 2008

Home > About Us > Policy Areas > Family Income Division

Child Poverty

Millions of American children live in poverty. Poverty casts long shadows throughout their lives in many different areas — among them health, nutrition, early development and education. Multiple barriers associated with poverty build upon one another and unjustly deprive children of the opportunity to reach their full potential. CDF advocates for children and fights to give them a fair start in life by:

• researching the causes and effects of poverty on children and their families
• working with coalition partners and members of Congress to promote policies that increase access to resources necessary to support a family
• working with federal agencies such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service
• connecting families with tax credits and federal government benefits
• supporting local advocates with data and policy analysis to help them fight for children in their communities and nationally

Tax and Benefits Outreach

Family Income staff coordinates Tax and Benefits Outreach programs in several states and the District of Columbia. We work with local community- and faith-based groups that run free tax preparation sites.

Our staff also supports CDF’s nationwide Tax and Benefits Outreach Initiative with research, technical support and federal policy expertise.

Children's Defense Fund
25 E Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
800-CDF-1200
(800-233-1200)
cdfinfo@childrensdefense.org