The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), founded in 1973 by civil rights advocate Marian Wright Edelman, is a leading nonprofit dedicated to child advocacy across the U.S. Its mission is to ensure every child a healthy start, head start, fair start, safe start, and moral start to life. CDF focuses on protecting marginalized children from poverty and injustice by influencing legislation and running impactful programs like Freedom Schools and Beat the Odds scholarships. The organization champions policies for child healthcare, education, and welfare while partnering nationwide to build communities where children can thrive with dignity, hope, and joy. Today, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, CDF continues advancing policies to end child poverty and promote equitable opportunities for all children to succeed.