2025 Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry
Learn More
We envision a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive.
About Us
National Observance of Children's Sabbaths® October 19, 2025
Join places of worship, faith-based organizations, and child advocates across the country for the 2025 National Observance of Children's Sabbaths®, an annual celebration that brings together people of every faith to raise a moral voice for justice and hope for children.
Learn More
We Owe them Peace of Mind
I spent most of the month of May on the road. From community celebrations with our state office and civil rights partners in New York, to stops on the State of the People Tour in Newark, Detroit, and Richmond, to keynotes and commencement addresses in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Baltimore.
Read More
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.
Act Now
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).
Read More
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!
Learn More
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.
Learn MoreRecent News
-
Child Welfare
CDF listening tour to stop in South Carolina as President and CEO Starsky Wilson hears families’ pressing needs
On Wednesday, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, president and CEO of the national children’s advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), will visit Columbia to learn more about the challenges facing children and families, as well as the solutions they seek, amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the economy and key programs related to education and health in America.…
-
Child Poverty
Landmark Studies Reveal Direct Cash Grants Boost Employment, Improve Well-being, Stability for NYC Youth Exiting Foster Care, Without Negative Consequences
Findings from two studies show powerful results from unconditional cash grants pilot program for young adults transitioning out of New York City’s foster care system: increased sense of well-being and self-determination, greater portion of youth in labor market, and enhanced financial stability, with no increase in negative outcomes like jail entry or shelter use.…
-
Child Poverty
“STARTING TO LIVE”
Our pilot revealed the transformative potential of unconditional cash to help young people emerging from foster care to experience stability and a sense of control over their own lives—to truly experience a transition to adulthood.…
-
Gun Violence
Rejecting the Menace of Violence
On an extraordinary day when an estimated five million people came together at rallies and protests across the country to share their political views nonviolently, political violence still struck our nation.…
Enroll Your Scholar
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.
Find a Site
Subscribe to “For Our Children”
Sign up to receive the weekly column by Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson.
SubscribeFor Our Children
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.
Read the Latest