President Trump’s War on Children

President Tump's budget would not pass the test of any great faith or standard of fairness. It must be rejected resoundingly by the Congress and the American people. Federal budgets should reflect our national values. But President Trump’s 2018 Federal Budget, “A New Foundation for America’s Greatness,” released on May 23, radically does the opposite. In the words of CDF President Marian Wright Edelman, “This immoral budget declares war on America’s children, our most vulnerable group, and the foundation of our nation’s current and future economic, military and leadership security. It cruelly dismantles and shreds America’s safety net . . . that helps 14.5 million children struggling today in a sea of poverty, hunger, sickness, miseducation, homelessness and disabilities. It slashes trillions of dollars from health care, nutrition and other critical programs that give poor babies and children a decent foundation in life to assure trillions of dollars in tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and powerful corporations who do not deserve massive doses of government support. The cruel Trump budget invests more in our military — already the most costly in the world — but denies vulnerable children and youths the income, health care, food, housing and education supports they need to become strong future soldiers to defend our country . . . This budget creates more inequality and less opportunity for those struggling to make ends meet and is a grave injustice.” Learn more by reading the rest of Marian Wright Edelman’s roadmap for resistance. Speak up now, while your members of Congress are home.

Take Action Now to Keep Children Covered

We must stop this war on children and other vulnerable populations in the Senate. Right now Senate Republicans are working behind closed doors on their version of a bill to repeal and the replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Call 877-233-9025 today and ask your Senators to “Do no harm” and protect health coverage for all of America’s children and families. Tell them to preserve and protect Medicaid — for the 37 million low-income children and children with disabilities who rely on it to survive and thrive — and for the millions of low-income parents, seniors and people with disabilities. Tell them to not move backwards and undermine the critical health care safety net or do away with the ACA’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions, guarantee of a basic set of essential health benefits — like maternity coverage, mental health coverage, and prescription drugs — or protections from discrimination based on age, gender, or health status. Tell them not to increase the number of children and adults who are uninsured. 

With your help we can stop this once and for all. Please call 877-233-9025 today and tell your Senators to #DoNoHarm and #KeepKidsCovered!

CDF President in the News

This month CDF President Marian Wright Edelman received the GSV Lifetime Achievement Award for her tireless work leading high-impact initiatives that are positively changing the future of education and work. The award recognizes passionate leaders who are significantly increasing access to education, careers, greatly reducing the cost for learner and/or learning institutions and dramatically improving learning and talent outcomes. Please join us in congratulating her and watch this powerful video with tributes from Congressman John Lewis, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., Donna Shalala and her husband, Peter Edelman.

Grand Turnout for National GrandRally

On May 10^th hundreds of grandparents, other relative caregivers and young people raised by relatives from 30 states rallied on the front lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the 5^th National GrandRally. Emcee Michelle Singletary, nationally syndicated columnist from the Washington Post, elevated the critical role her grandmother played in raising her, and introduced grandparents and other relative caregivers, and children raised by relatives who inspired those gathered with their stories of love and struggle. U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) came by to celebrate kinship families and offer to help get them the support they need. This multigenerational event full of tears, laughter and music helped build a community of hope. Participants left empowered to educate their own members of Congress in afternoon visits about the important support they get from federal policies and programs. CDF is grateful to all who came, and to our co-sponsors: Generations United, AARP, Casey Family Programs, GrandFamilies of America, FosterClub and the National Kinship Alliance for Children. If you are a relative caregiver and want to connect with other kinship families, please contact Stefanie Sprow at CDF. Learn more about the challenges facing relatives raising children in this moving Mother’s Day column by Michelle Singletary.

Freedom Schools Will Rock the House!

Are you ready? We are ready! From June 4 through June 11, nearly two thousand college students, civil rights leaders, educators and children’s book authors will join us and rock the house at CDF Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee and at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with cheers and chants during our annual fun-filled, transformational week of team building and training for the CDF Freedom Schools^® summer program. Inspired to make learning fun and to deliver the empowering literacy-rich, culturally diverse CDF Freedom Schools curriculum — this dedicated core of young servant leaders will help stop summer learning loss in about 13,000 low-income children from their communities in 29 states, and the District of Columbia. Children from kindergarten through 12^th grade fall in love with reading and learn they can make a difference in themselves, their communities and their world. We are grateful to our dedicated partners for their strong commitment to offer hope, opportunity and healthy meals to children in their communities this summer. Please get on the road to freedom and support CDF. Learn how you can get involved and improve the lives of vulnerable children in your community.

Good News in Minnesota
CDF-Minnesota released an updated policy brief, Child Care: A Two Generation Approach to Economic Security. The brief shows how increasing access and affordability of child care bolsters family economic security, improves children’s cognitive and social development, and ensures businesses can keep the employees they need. Anchored in research and the most recent data, the report provides four solutions to reach the state’s most vulnerable families with children of color and American Indian children:

1. Fully fund the Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) so all eligible families, including nearly 5,300 families on the waiting list, can afford the child care that meets their needs;

2. Raise the state’s reimbursement rates to child care providers so more can afford to accept families using the Child Care Assistance Program;

3. Implement and fund the family-friendly rules and regulations from the reauthorized federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG); and

4. Increase and expand the state’s Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to help more low- and moderate-income families afford the high cost of care.

On May 26^th, the Minnesota legislature adopted two of the recommendations, an expansion to the state Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and funding for some of the family-friendly rules from the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant, including the rule to streamline eligibility for most families for 12 months. The bills still need the Governor’s signature. We are grateful for years of strong advocacy from our partners in the Minnesota Kids Can’t Wait Coalition.

#WearOrange! Protect Children, Not Guns

Let’s do it. This Friday, June 2^nd, join the Children’s Defense Fund and advocates across the country for the 3^rd Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Please #WearOrange to honor the lives of children and teens killed by guns in your community and in support of commonsense gun legislation to end the scourge of gun violence. Help turn America orange by spreading the word on social media using “#WearOrange” in your posts and attending a #WearOrange event in your community. Don’t have anything orange? Purchase a CDF “Protect Children, Not Guns” orange T-shirt today.

Celebrate Ohio’s Extraordinary Youths

On Thursday, June 15^th, if you live in Ohio don’t miss the 5^th Annual CDF-Ohio Beat the Odds^® Awards Ceremony in Columbus. Join CDF President Marian Wright Edelman and CDF-Ohio for an unforgettable evening honoring five extraordinary high school seniors who — despite tremendous adversity — excel academically and give back to their communities. Each student receives a college scholarship, laptop computer and an invitation to join CDF’s youth leadership development programs. Reserve your spot now to support our scholars, be inspired by their stories of courage and determination, and learn how you can help change the odds for all of Ohio’s children. If you cannot come, please support CDF’s vital work in Ohio by donating now.

Be Part of Our Beloved Community

If you are feeling buffeted by the turbulent winds in Washington, D.C. and the assaults on health care and our American values register now for the 23^rd annual CDF Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry. Come renew your commitment to advocacy and action July 17-21 at CDF Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee. This year’s theme, “Hope for Our Future: From Weeping to Working for Justice for Our Children,” will strengthen our resolve to continue the fight for social justice and help build the movement for all children in America. Experience Meditations for the Journey with Dr. Frederick J. Streets; phenomenal preaching with Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. and Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III; and bible study with Dr. Eileen Lindner and Dr. Yolanda Pierce. Participate in strategic planning for organizing and action during Children and Justice Plenaries with national leaders including Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK and author of A Nun on the Bus: How All of Us Can Create Hope, Change, and Community; Britney Packnett from the Black Lives Matter movement; Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, a professor at The Ohio State University and noted diversity scholar, and others. Interactive afternoon workshops will follow. Be inspired by the Great Preacher Series each evening. Register today! Group discounts available. Make it a family treat, register your children now for the fun and empowering Proctor CDF Freedom Schools program!

May Child Watch^® Columns
Don’t miss Marian Wright Edelman’s columns with plans for action to help children in your community and rescue critical federal programs and policies that help our most vulnerable children thrive and survive. Find out why investments in early childhood programs, protecting Medicaid’s strong guarantee, supporting strong summer feeding programs on which many low-income families depend, and addressing the President’s immoral war on our nation’s children are critical actions for you to take.

President Trump’s War on Children

Summertime, When the Livin’ is Hard for Hungry Children

Saving Amazing Young Grace and Her Medicaid

Flipping the Switch

The Children’s Defense Fund is dedicated to working with child advocates like you, policymakers and others to ensure all of America's children remain a top priority in 2017.

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