2025 Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry
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We envision a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive.
About Us
Tell Congress Hands Off Basic Needs Programs Our Children Rely On
Children's Defense Fund is sounding the alarm as Congress considers devastating cuts to the very programs that keep young people and their families fed, housed, healthy, and safe. We need every advocate, caregiver, and concerned community member to take immediate action.
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100 Days…and Counting
Last week, the Trump Administration marked its first 100 days. Since Franklin D. Roosevelt, the first 100 days of a presidential administration have been measured as an indicator of either anxieties or celebrations to come for the country. As child advocates, we had little to celebrate.
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Policy Brief: Expanded Child Tax Credit as a Key Anti-Poverty & Child Welfare Prevention Strategy
Children’s Defense Fund and Chapin Hall are collaborating to advance evidence-based strategies that strengthen child and family well-being. This brief focuses on the promise of making permanent the pandemic-era expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC).
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CDF Haley Farm
Named for author and activist Alex Haley, CDF Haley Farm in Clinton, TN, is a sacred and safe space for facilitating movement-building moments and training opportunities for prioritizing joy, pursuing justice, and promoting rest as resistance. Explore the rich history of Haley Farm and consider hosting your next event there!
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Young People Lead Podcast
The podcast aims to demonstrate how young people can and should lead by telling their stories of how youth are transforming policies for the better and examining research on the policies that most affect them.
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Early Childhood
Sixty Years of Head Start
Head Start began as an eight-week summer program; it has since served nearly 40 million children and families across the United States. But today, like other basic needs programs millions of children, young people, and families rely on, Head Start has been under attack.…
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Education
Advice for Young Graduates
During this season I like to share some of the lessons for life I offered my own children and many of the extraordinary young graduates I’ve had the privilege of meeting over the years.…
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Early Childhood
Take Action Today to Oppose SB 1798
If passed, Senate Bill 1798 would amend the Texas Education Code to reclassify students whose presence in the United States is “not authorized under federal statute” as non-residents.…
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Child Poverty
Be Careful What You Cut
Some years ago, the award-winning agency Fallon Worldwide created a series of ads for a pro bono Children’s Defense Fund campaign called “Be Careful What You Cut” that warned sharply against budget choices threatening programs on which children and families rely. …
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Find a CDF Freedom Schools® Site
At CDF Freedom Schools, we’re not just educating. We’re nurturing lifelong learners and advocates for progress. We’re sculpting a brighter tomorrow where we celebrate every young person’s potential, and affirming their impact on the world is profound. Find a CDF Freedom Schools site near you.
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Subscribe to “For Our Children”
Sign up to receive the weekly column by Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson.
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CDF’s President and CEO, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, shares insights, challenges, and hopes for the future in “For Our Children.”CDF’s President and CEO, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, offers a personal perspective on challenges, victories, and the path ahead in “For Our Children.” Delve into a unique narrative that guides our mission, celebrates milestones, and navigates the journey toward a brighter tomorrow. Explore now for an inside connection to our vision—where the story of our commitment to children and youth unfolds.
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