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Today is Children’s Health Day and this is my story …

Today is Children’s Health Day and this is my story … I had a speech impediment as a child. As a result, I was embarrassed to speak up in class. It wasn’t until the age of 24, when I had comprehensive health insurance, that I was diagnosed hard of hearing in my left ear by an ear, nose and throat specialist. It all finally made sense. At Children's Defense Fund-CA (CDF-CA), I advocate so that children of color do not grow up without access to healthcare. I make sure working families know about and enroll in programs like Medi-Cal so their children can see a specialist if they need one and not have to wait years like i did. CDF-CA works to protect, improve and expand health coverage for children and families of color who need it the most. Children in [...]

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Spotlight: Beat the Odds Alumna

Four years ago, Erica Cortez graduated from John C. Fremont High School and was a Children’s Defense Fund Beat the Odds scholarship recipient. While in high school Cortez participated in the financial aid workshops, college counseling sessions and any other life skills or mentoring opportunities the program offered. She also received a little financial support during her first year at Occidental College. But what has been most helpful is the emotional support she has received from Children’s Defense Fund-California staff throughout her college experience. “I’ve gotten other scholarships and been in other programs and none of them really care like CDF-CA,” said Erica, 22. “They just give you money and that’s it. But that doesn’t really help you in the long run. They have mentored me on what I should do and the best route to take in my life.” That [...]

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CDF Freedom Schools Spotlight: Roberts Family Development Center

If you are dedicated to our mission of caring for every child, we’d love to have you join our team. CDF-CA is hiring for two positions: director of legislative advocacy and coalition coordinator.

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New Report: U.S. Can Lift 5.5. Million Children Out of Poverty Right Now

America can immediately lift millions of children out of poverty and reduce child poverty by 57 percent by making modest investments in policies that work, according to a new report released today by the Children’s Defense Fund. Ending Child Poverty Now, the second edition of a groundbreaking report first released in 2015, details the devastating impacts of poverty on children and our nation. It outlines nine policy improvements that, enacted together, would benefit 95 percent of all poor children, lifting 5.5 million of them out of poverty entirely. In California, home to 1.6 million poor children, the child poverty rate was reduced by 65%.

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Big win for youth justice in LA County

Earlier this week, Los Angeles County’s Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC) adopted a budget that makes a landmark reinvestment of nearly $7 million of funding from probation to community-based youth development supports.

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Board Vote Gives Youth Advocates Power

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to give a group of youth experts and advocates the power to determine how tens of millions of dollars that are supposed to be used on young people gets spent

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A Healthier Start to Life

In February, CDF-CA and others joined Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) at a press conference to announce the introduction of AB 875 to reestablish “Healthy Start.” Healthy Start

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Take action to protect children, not guns!

A few weeks ago, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R.8) passed the House of Representatives to strengthen background checks and keep guns out of the hands of those who would use them to harm our children and communities.

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Apply Today: CDF Beat the Odds Scholarship Program

Featured Update

CDF-CA Co-Sponsors the 2nd LCAP Community Forum

It is the time of year for school and district budgeting and accountability! Earlier this month, CDF-CA co-hosted our second forum with Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) and other youth-serving organizations to increase parent and community engagement in the district budgeting process.

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