PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Beat the Odds® Program
CDF's Beat the Odds programs affirm the success of young people who are overcoming tremendous obstacles in their lives and continuing to work hard, demonstrating academic excellence, giving back to their communities, and personally persevering to "beat the odds." Since 1990, the Children's Defense Fund has provided college scholarships to Los Angeles youth who are "beating the odds" every day. CDF provides a range of services to assist recipients with the college application process, financial aid, college exposure, life skills development, leadership training, and ongoing support.
CDF Freedom Schools® Program
CDF Freedom Schools program provide critical summer and after-school enrichment through a model curriculum that supports children and families around five essential components: high quality academic enrichment, parent and family involvement, civic engagement and social action, intergenerational leadership development, as well as nutrition, health and mental health. Grown out of the Children's Defense Fund's Black Community Crusade for Children® Initiative, the CDF Freedom School sites offer a unique vision of education, rooted in the cultural traditions of literacy, service, and advocacy. Currently in California, Success in Challenges Freedom School in Long Beach provides an excellent summer enrichment program to children in their community.
National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths® Program
Throughout the month of October, faith organizations in California and around the country join thousands of churches, synagogues, mosques, Buddhist and Baha’i communities, and other places of worship around the nation in CDF's annual National Observance of Children's Sabbaths Celebration. Faith groups are asked to hold special worship services, education programs, and other activities to help people of faith- across religious and spiritual lines- learn more about the problems facing America’s poor and disabled children. Each year, an advisory board of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Bahai, and other faith leaders guide the Children’s Sabbaths as a way to raise awareness and promote advocacy on behalf of America’s children.
SHOUT® Program
Student Health OUTreach (SHOUT) program is a student run initiative which trains college students to become state Certified Application Assistors and enroll eligible children in health insurance and other public service programs. Children’s Defense Fund has successful SHOUT programs in a number of states. In California SHOUT programs exist at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California (USC).
SPROUT® Program
As an expansion of SHOUT, the SPROUT (Student Poverty Reduction OUTreach) program is also a student run program and includes community outreach to help families receive public health insurance as well as other critical benefits that can help lift families out of poverty. Children’s Defense Fund has successful SPROUT programs in a number of states, including California’s Santa Clara University.
YALT® Program
CDF's vision is to develop the next generation of leaders: young people who are committed to social justice and the welfare of all children. To help achieve this goal, one of the many programs that CDF offers is the Youth Advocacy Leadership Training (YALT) program. Each year, the YALT program attracts hundreds of young adults who participate in a weekend-long training program at Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee, where they develop knowledge and skills in child advocacy.
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