Dear Lord be good to me. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small

The Children's Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind^® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. Full Mission Statement »

Check out more than sixty mini-plenary sessions and workshops designed to dig more deeply into best practices and close the gaps between what we know and what we do for children »
Our new report is a compilation of the most recent and reliable national and state data on key child indicators. Read it now »
The Ohio’s KIDS COUNT: 2010 Data Book, provides the most current and accurate data that tracks and compares the well-being of children in Ohio and its 88 counties. Learn more »
CDF Freedom Schools® program sites across the country recently brought leaders "back to school" by letting them know what budget cuts to education mean for children. Learn more »

Creating Change: National Conference

SAVE THE DATE: The Children’s Defense Fund National Conference,
July 22-25, 2012, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Today, 16.4 million children in the United States live in poverty. Nearly one in four children under the age of five is poor. Together we can and must do better. Join the Children’s Defense Fund as we gather leading experts to present the latest research and best practices to close the gap between what we know works for children and what we do in practice. This one-of-a-kind conference will connect communities of child advocates, young leaders, faith leaders, policymakers, service providers and others to create real change for children at the state, local, and federal levels in 2012 and beyond. Sign-up today to receive information and help us rescue the dream for all of America’s children. Stay connected »