Children’s Health and Healing

Promise 

All young people enjoy regular, nourishing meals and active lives,
marked by positive social adjustment, sustainable environments, and
healthcare homes for their bodies and minds.

Problem

10.7 million young people live in food-insecure households. In 2021,
more than 4 in 10 (42%) students felt persistently sad or hopeless and nearly one-third (29%) experienced poor mental health. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2019, 4.4 million children were uninsured in the United States.

Policy Path

In this zone, CDF will advocate for public policy related to: (1) Child Nutrition and Food Security, (2) Youth Mental Health and Social Emotional Wellness, (3) Healthcare coverage, and (4) Environmental justice.

Moonshot Generational Commitment

Ensure permanent, universal free school meals and children’s physical and mental health coverage.

Learn More

Related Updates

  • CDF Cares: Resource Assistance for Minnesota Children and Families 

    In the wake of the deadly Minneapolis shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday, August 27, 2025—another tragic and preventable act of gun violence, Children’s Defense Fund–Minnesota (CDF-MN) grieves the lives of the young people lost and stands in heartfelt solidarity with their families and the 17 survivors. In moments like these, our collective care matters.  …

  • Child Health

    Medicaid Turns 60: Celebrate Coverage, Not Cuts 

    For six decades, Medicaid has served as a lifeline, protecting children’s health and strengthening communities. Now, as Medicaid marks this milestone, that promise has been broken.…

  • CDF Cares: Resource Assistance for Central Texas Flooding 

    Whether you’re seeking support or looking for ways to help, we’ve compiled a list of trusted resources and partners responding to this crisis across Central Texas. …

  • Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom. A Commitment to Justice.

    On June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people.…