2025 Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry
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We envision a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive.
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National Observance of Children's Sabbaths® October 19, 2025
Join places of worship, faith-based organizations, and child advocates across the country for the 2025 National Observance of Children's Sabbaths®, an annual celebration that brings together people of every faith to raise a moral voice for justice and hope for children.
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We Owe them Peace of Mind
I spent most of the month of May on the road. From community celebrations with our state office and civil rights partners in New York, to stops on the State of the People Tour in Newark, Detroit, and Richmond, to keynotes and commencement addresses in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Baltimore.
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Tell Congress Hands Off Basic Needs Programs Our Children Rely On
Children's Defense Fund is sounding the alarm as Congress considers devastating cuts to the very programs that keep young people and their families fed, housed, healthy, and safe. We need every advocate, caregiver, and concerned community member to take immediate action.
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Policy Brief: Expanded Child Tax Credit as a Key Anti-Poverty & Child Welfare Prevention Strategy
Children’s Defense Fund and Chapin Hall are collaborating to advance evidence-based strategies that strengthen child and family well-being. This brief focuses on the promise of making permanent the pandemic-era expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC).
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CDF Haley Farm
Named for author and activist Alex Haley, CDF Haley Farm in Clinton, TN, is a sacred and safe space for facilitating movement-building moments and training opportunities for prioritizing joy, pursuing justice, and promoting rest as resistance. Explore the rich history of Haley Farm and consider hosting your next event there!
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Young People Lead Podcast
The podcast aims to demonstrate how young people can and should lead by telling their stories of how youth are transforming policies for the better and examining research on the policies that most affect them.
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Child Poverty
Landmark Studies Reveal Direct Cash Grants Boost Employment, Improve Well-being, Stability for NYC Youth Exiting Foster Care, Without Negative Consequences
Findings from two studies show powerful results from unconditional cash grants pilot program for young adults transitioning out of New York City’s foster care system: increased sense of well-being and self-determination, greater portion of youth in labor market, and enhanced financial stability, with no increase in negative outcomes like jail entry or shelter use.…
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Child Poverty
“STARTING TO LIVE”
Our pilot revealed the transformative potential of unconditional cash to help young people emerging from foster care to experience stability and a sense of control over their own lives—to truly experience a transition to adulthood.…
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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.…
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Honoring Juneteenth
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the bill that had been passed by unanimous consent in the Senate and 415-14 in the House to establish Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19, as a federal holiday.…
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Find a CDF Freedom Schools® Site
At CDF Freedom Schools, we’re not just educating. We’re nurturing lifelong learners and advocates for progress. We’re sculpting a brighter tomorrow where we celebrate every young person’s potential, and affirming their impact on the world is profound. Find a CDF Freedom Schools site near you.
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Subscribe to “For Our Children”
Sign up to receive the weekly column by Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson.
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CDF’s President and CEO, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, shares insights, challenges, and hopes for the future in “For Our Children.”CDF’s President and CEO, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, offers a personal perspective on challenges, victories, and the path ahead in “For Our Children.” Delve into a unique narrative that guides our mission, celebrates milestones, and navigates the journey toward a brighter tomorrow. Explore now for an inside connection to our vision—where the story of our commitment to children and youth unfolds.
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