Health Reform Passes!

The calls, emails, letters and visits to your Members of Congress in support of real health reform for children have been heard!  Last week Congress passed landmark health reform legislation that will guarantee access to health coverage for 32 million people in America, including more than 95% of all children.  With the passage of these new health reforms, Congress and the President have taken a great step forward towards ensuring affordable and comprehensive health coverage for all children and families in America – thank you for helping to make that happen!   The next phase of hard work now begins – that of enrolling all those who are eligible through every possible means at the federal, state and local levels.  But for now, we bask in a huge step forward after a very hard fought series of battles.  Beginning right away, insurance companies are prohibited from unjustly denying coverage of children because of pre-existing conditions or imposing annual or lifetime limits; parents can keep their older children on their health insurance until age 26; and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will continue to provide affordable health coverage to millions of children.  And in the coming years we’ll see critical investments in many other programs and services that will benefit our most vulnerable children and families.   You helped make it all possible and again, we thank you. Millions of children will be better off because of what you did.  Learn more about what health reform means for children.

Last month, CDF President Marian Wright Edelman returned to her hometown in Bennettsville, South Carolina for the dedication of the new public library named in her honor.  The atmosphere was festive as what seemed to be the entire town came out in the rain to show their support.  Unlike when Mrs. Edelman was growing up in the segregated South and could not enter the old Bennettsville library, the sign that greets visitors to the new Marian Wright Edelman Public Library in Marlboro County proclaims, “WELCOME TO EVERYONE”. 

Read more about the dedication and view a photo slideshow of the event.

CDF Freedom Schools^® Program Gears up for the Summer

The CDF Freedom Schools team is hard at work preparing our 2010 partners to operate summer programming for children ages 5-18.  Orientation and training for first year executive directors was held in February, and for returning executive directors we launched our first online e-training.  Last week, we completed orientation and training for first year project directors and site coordinators that focused on site planning, staff management, curriculum, parent engagement, social action and program assessment. Over 200 local site staff participated in this training, and we expect to host more than 1,200 site coordinators and servant leader interns at the CDF Freedom Schools national training in June.  Servant leader interns are college age youth and recent college graduates that provide the front-line care and nurturing of the children.  Using the integrated reading curriculum, they serve as facilitators in the classroom and as leaders of parent workshops and community outreach activities. We anticipate over 9,000 children will be served this summer.

Find information regarding how to enroll a child in a CDF Freedom Schools program and view a listing of summer program sites across the country. 

 New Children’s T-shirt Now Available

Let everyone know that CDF is looking out for your little ones! The front of this light blue children’s t-shirt instructs onlookers to “Look Who's Got My Back”.  The back of the shirt shows off the CDF boat logo.  Available in child sizes 2-4 to 12-14 for only $9.50, plus shipping.  Order yours today through our online store.