Tell President-elect Obama that Health Coverage for All Children is Important to You
 Now that the 2008 Elections are over, we are in an excellent position to enact legislation in 2009 that will provide health coverage for all children. But our new leaders will face many challenges in the weeks and months ahead and the only way we can be sure that covering all people in America—and especially our children—remains at the top of their agenda, is for all of us to speak up loudly and clearly. We must remind our newly elected leaders that we expect them to fulfill their campaign commitments to cover all children in 2009 and keep our voices unified and consistent until they do.
President-elect Obama has just launched a new message board on his transition website posing the question to Americans: "What worries you most about the healthcare system in our country?" Visit President-Elect Obama’s website and tell him that the lack of health coverage for all children concerns you and threatens our nation's future.
Joining Forces to Make Our Voices Louder
 The CDF Action Council is doing its part to make our voices louder by joined the steering committee of Health Care for America Now! (HCAN),a national grassroots campaign made up of millions of individuals and more than 425 organizations committed to winning a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all in 2009.
We are thrilled to be a part of HCAN and we look forward to working with partners to guarantee that children, as well as adults, are a part of the health care reform our country needs. The CDF Action Council will work to ensure that, in the national health care reform discussions now taking place, reforms benefit all children; in particular, the nine million uninsured children and the millions of children who are underinsured.
This Holiday Season, Help CDF Lift Children Out of Poverty
 As we sit down with our families this holiday season and count our blessings, we need to keep in mind those who aren’t as fortunate. Some might say we've made good progress for our children, but we must continue to step forward and take action to improve the lives of all children. We haven't made enough progress when more than 13 million children—one in six in America—live in poverty. Of these children, almost half live in extreme poverty.
With your support, the Children's Defense Fund can continue to work to lift children out of poverty and put an end to the harmful effect poverty has on families, communities and our nation. Will you help by making a tax-deductible gift to the Children's Defense Fund today? With a baby born into poverty every 33 seconds, we don’t have any time to lose.
Send Good Cheer to Friends and Family with CDF Holiday Cards
 This holiday season you can quickly and easily complete your holiday card shopping and support CDF at the same time by purchasing colorful holiday cards in our online store. These cards are a great way to wish your friends and family a happy holiday while encouraging them to join you in keeping the interests of all children in their thoughts this holiday season.
Purchase your holiday cards today!
Watch CDF President Marian Wright Edelman on mtvU's "Stand In"
 Marian Wright Edelman is not a professor at San Francisco State University, but for one day she surprised undergraduates as part of mtvU's Emmy-nominated series, "Stand In." The unique show engages college students by surprising them with a guest lecturer who is a cultural icon and role model. Mrs. Edelman gave a lecture to Jade Van Hasselt’s Professional Roles and Careers in Child and Adolescent Development class . Read San Francisco State University student Brittany Owens' reaction to Mrs. Edelman’s lecture and watch the episode online now.
Students also received a copy of Mrs. Edelman's new book, The Sea Is So Wide and My Boat Is So Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation. Learn more about Mrs. Edelman's book, view a slideshow of photos from her recent book tour events and find out more about her upcoming speaking engagements on our website.
Also this month, U.S. News & World Report named Mrs. Edelman one of their "America's Best Leaders" for 2008 as "one of the world's premier advocates for children." Mrs. Edelman is in good company this year with Lance Armstrong, Jeffrey Sachs, Steven Spielberg and Terence Blanchard just to name a few. The edition will be on newsstands this week—pick it up and learn more about America's inspirational leaders!
Auction of Autographed "Lost" Kubrick Figure to Benefit CDF-CA
 Charity Folks, an online charity auction website, has joined forces with the hit television series "Lost" and collector figure producer MediCom to auction the Kubrick figure "1000% LOST Be@rbricks" (pronounced Bear-Brick) signed by the cast, crew, writers, and producers of "Lost" to benefit CDF-CA. MediCom produced only three of these figures that are highly sought-after world-wide and they will not be re-released. The online auction closes at midnight on December 5, 2008 so place your bid today and help ensure that CDF-CA continues it work to improve the lives of all children.
CDF to Receive "Idol Gives Back" Gift
 This holiday season, the Children's Defense Fund gives its thanks to "Idol Gives Back," the musical celebration for aid and global awareness, which has allocated more than $64 million in charitable contributions made by generous "American Idol" viewers and corporate sponsors. CDF is joined by other grant recipients, Children's Health Fund; The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Make It Right; Malaria No More and the U.S. programs of Save the Children.
The special broadcast of "American Idol" aired in April and featured CDF Board Member Reese Witherspoon who highlighted CDF's work for children. We are immensely grateful to FOX and our longtime friend and Academy Award® winning actress Reese Witherspoon for showing the millions of "American Idol" viewers nationwide that every step we take to improve the lives of children improves the lives of all of us. As CDF turns 35 this year, we could not ask for a better birthday gift!
View a video of Reese Witherspoon's presentation during the broadcast. | 
