For nearly 40 years, and well into our second decade in Texas, CDF has worked closely with state and local child advocates, as well as national and state organizations to level the playing field for children through a variety of campaigns and initiatives.  Read about CDF's award-winning national campaigns.  Throughout, CDF has educated the public on our children at risk and provided the necessary tools to apply pressure to the political establishment to improve the lives of children. 

CDF-Texas campaigns and programs build upon this long legacy of success by empowering communities and advocates to create the change Texas children urgently need.

CDF Freedom Schools® Program

The CDF Freedom Schools program provides summer and after-school enrichment that helps children fall in love with reading, increases their self-esteem, and generates more positive attitudes toward learning. Children are taught using 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; and nutrition, health and mental health. Read more >>.

CDF Beat the Odds® Scholarship and Leadership Development Program

The CDF Beat the Odds program honors, celebrates and rewards extraordinary young people who have overcome tremendous adversity to achieve academic excellence, demonstrate leadership in their communities, and aspire to attend college to continue their education. Since 1999, CDF-Texas has awarded more than eighty college scholarships to outstanding youths in the Dallas, Houston and Liberty County areas. Many recipients have gone on to pursue advanced degrees and leadership positions in their communities. Read more >>.

CDF Cradle to Prison Pipeline® Campaign

The Cradle to Prison Pipeline is an urgent national crisis that leaves a Black boy born in 2001 with a one in three risk of going to prison and a Latino boy with a one in six risk. The prison pipeline is fueled by pervasive poverty, racial disparities, inadequate health and mental health care, gaps in early childhood development, disparate educational opportunities, chronic abuse and neglect, and overburdened and ineffective juvenile justice systems.  Through community summits and educational and advocacy resources, CDF works with partners across the country to develop action plans tailored to dismantle the pipeline in their community. Read CDF's Cradle to Prison report and factsheets >>.

CDF All Healthy Children Campaign 

The CDF All Healthy Children Campaign educates parents and other guardians on how to apply, use and renew their children's CHIP and Medicaid so that kids can get the health care they need to grow and thrive. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, CDF-Texas has also integrated information and outreach about what's newly available for children and families under the nation's new health reform law. CDF-Texas' award-winning school-based approach and community business partnership model has been recognized by numerous national, state and local entities including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American Association of School Administrators, America's Promise Alliance, Anti-Defamation League, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Covering Kids & Families, and others, including Leadership Houston which presented CDF-Texas with its 2009 Leadership in Action award. CDF's All Healthy Children Campaign encompasses a number of different targeted outreach programs, including SHOUT-T (Student Health OUTreach for Teens). Read more about CDF's award-winning child health outreach >>.

Texas Well and Healthy Campaign (an initiative of KidsWell Texas, Getting to the Finish Line, and Cover Texas Now)

CDF-Texas is a leading partner of Texas Well and Healthy -- a statewide umbrella campaign to advocate and improve health care for children and families in Texas. There are 1.2 million uninsured children in Texas. With passage of the Affordable Care Act, 95% of children are now eligible for some type of insurance coverage, with more than half of uninsured children still eligible for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Children's Medicaid. Funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and the Packard Foundation, CDF-Texas leads this effort as part of a multi-year partnership with the Center for Public Policy Priorities, Texans Care for Children, and Engage Texas. Read more about our legislative advocacy >>.

Business Leadership and Action Program

We recognize that businesses, especially small businesses, are one of the most important cornerstones to keeping Texas’ economy and workforce healthy and productive.  Small businesses account for the majority of employers in the State of Texas. They are a driving force behind our economy.  In fact, there are more than 2.2 million small businesses in Texas, and small firms make up more than 98% of our state's employers.  Thus, small businesses have a big role to play in shaping the future of children's health care coverage.  Why?  Because if large numbers of Texas parents work for or operate small businesses, their dependents are impacted by those businesses decisions.  CDF's new business outreach initiative educates small businesses about the Affordable Care Act's benefits to our shared bottom line - our children, our future and future workforce. Read more about CDF's work with small business >>.

Faith-Based Action Programs

Throughout the year, we work closely with diverse faith leaders to lift up children's needs and advocate on their behalf with renewed spirit and commitment.  Every October, CDF produces a Children's Sabbath's manual and invites congregations of all traditions to participate in the National Observance of Children's Sabbaths® weekend of reflection, prayer, and action for children in Austin, Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, and everywhere.  Faith-based initiatives have long had the power and moral authority to deliver important messages about children's well-being. Read more about the Children's Sabbaths and upcoming conferences for faith-based advocates >>.

Link to national CDF programs and campaigns