Mission:
To protect the rights of children, especially low-income children and children with special needs.
Founded:
In 1973 by Marian Wright Edelman, who worked on Martin Luther King Jr.'s Poor People's Campaign in 1968 (a program that was cut short by his assassination). Edelman's goal was to build an organization around Dr. King's vision of a multiracial campaign for the poor and marginalized, focusing specifically on poor and marginalized children.
Organizational Structure:
The CDF focuses primarily on lobbying, research, advocacy, education, and direct services conducted through a national office and eight regional offices. It does not generally litigate, nor does it organize local grassroots chapters.
Supporters Say:
Children are the ultimate disenfranchised group. They can't vote, they don't have money, they can't even organize movements of their own, and they are not always well taken care of by their families, their schools, or their government. They need adult voices and adult funds and adult feet on the ground to advocate on their behalf, and the CDF is leading this fight.
Critics Say:
The CDF tends to favor gun control, which (for obvious reasons) irritates many Second Amendment activists.
I Say:
It's hard to think of a more noble goal for a civil liberties organization than children's rights advocacy. While its centralized structure limits local volunteer activism possibilities, nobody should overlook the CDF and the amazing work it does to protect the rights, lives, and futures of America's children.
