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

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  • 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.…

  • Keeping the Charge

    On June 6, Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) celebrates Founder’s Day. This date was chosen to honor the birthday of our founder and president emerita, Marian Wright Edelman.…