Child Poverty Archives - Children's Defense Fund

Child Poverty

Expanded Child Tax Credit as an Anti-Poverty & Child Welfare Prevention Strategy

The expanded CTC is a critical policy choice to address the persistent problem of child poverty in the United States.

Child Health

Medicaid Turns 60: Celebrate Coverage, Not Cuts

For six decades, Medicaid has served as a lifeline, protecting children’s health and strengthening communities. Now, as Medicaid marks this milestone, that promise has been broken.

July 29, 2025 | National

Charity

A Celebration of Joy: CDF-Minnesota 2025

Join us in celebrating 40 years of building community so young people grow up with dignity, hope, and joy.

August 21, 2025

Minnesota

Child Poverty

Veto Requests for Ohio’s State Operating Budget FY2026-2027

This budget, as currently written, sends a stark and disheartening message: Ohio’s children and families are not a priority. At a time when families are struggling to access child care, health coverage, basic necessities, and safe housing, lawmakers have chosen to deliver massive tax breaks to the wealthy and handouts to stadium developers.

Texas

Contact your Congressional representative now to protect Texas children

Now is the time for us to make our voices heard by calling and emailing our legislators to tell them to vote NO on the budget bill that would have devastating impacts on Texas children and families!

June 27, 2025

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.

June 23, 2025 | New York

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.

Child Health

CDF Urges U.S. Senators to Reject Harmful Budget Cuts Threatening Families’ Health, Food, Financial Security

Today, the national youth advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) delivered a letter to U.S. Senators urging them to reject proposed cuts to critical health, nutrition, and financial stability programs as part of the budget reconciliation process.

June 9, 2025 | National

Child Poverty

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson's Budget Reconciliation Letter

The House-passed budget reconciliation package poses a grave threat to making that vision a reality. So, we are calling on you and your colleagues in the Senate to consider and pass a package that centers the needs of children and families.

Child Poverty

Be Careful What You Cut

Some years ago, the award-winning agency Fallon Worldwide created a series of ads for a pro bono Children’s Defense Fund campaign called “Be Careful What You Cut” that warned sharply against budget choices threatening programs on which children and families rely.

May 16, 2025 | National