Children's Defense Fund- Beat the Odds

On Friday, March 16th The Children's Defense Fund will host it's 20th annual charity event at The Depot in Minneapolis.  It proves to be a spectacular night raising funds that go to one of the most important causes I can imagine- America's youth.  


"The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked relentlessly for over 35 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. We champion policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education and a moral and spiritual foundation. Supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations,CDF advocates nationwide on behalf of children to ensure children are always a priority."

"...The Children's Defense Fund grew out of the Civil Rights Movement under the leadership of Marian Wright Edelman, the first Black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar.  Mrs. Edelman directed the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund office in Jackson, Miss.; worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as counsel for his Poor People's Campaign; and dedicated her early career to defending the civil liberties of people struggling to overcome poverty and discrimination. In 1969, Mrs. Edelman began the Washington Research Project, a public interest law firm that monitored federal programs for low-income families and, out of that initiative, she founded the Children's Defense Fund in 1973.

Yet, in the wealthiest nation on earth, millions of children still do not get the head start in life they need and the opportunities to fulfill their God-given potential. That is why we must continue to be a loud and persistent voice for every child..."

The final line of CDF's mission statement was enough to hook me.  It says it all.  How can the wealthiest nation on the planet leave so many kids behind?  How is poverty so rampant (right now 1 in 10 Minnesotan's are at risk of missing a meal) in a nation that is so fortunate?  You have the power to do your part, no matter how big or how small.  Educate yourself on what this amazing non-profit is doing for our kids- yes, OUR kids.  Our nation's future.  Participate, get involved, get informed.  www.cdf-mn.org

I hope to see you there!

*all quotes taken from www.cdf-mn.org.