The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) hosts events across the country at different times each year. View our annual events below.
The purpose of our events include:
Training – training adults, young adults, and youth to engage as advocates for America’s children.
Education – informing and educating the public about effective policies and practices that are demonstrated to have a positive impact on the well-being of America’s children.
Mobilization – equipping adults and youth to mobilize as leaders and organizers for positive actions impacting children in their communities.
Beat the Odds®
Beat the Odds events highlight high school youth honorees who have overcome especially difficult challenges in their lives. These events occur once a year in:
- Columbus, Ohio
- Houston, Texas
- Los Angeles, California
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- New York, New York
- Washington, DC
“The Beat the Odds® program gave me the confidence to be bold in my pursuit personally and professionally. Thanks to CDF I finally gained an affirmation of my worth. CDF was the first entity that told me that they believed in me. It changed my life. They helped me tap into my hidden potential. The work I am now doing is making an impact on a local, state, federal, and international level. I am just one example of the ripple effect that occurs when someone invests in the people who can ultimately change in the world.” – Johanna, BTO Alum
Samuel W. Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry
Proctor Institute is a week-long conference in July each year engaging and training members of the faith community to be equipped for effective service and outreach.
CDF also hosts events organized by other organizations and groups complimentary to its mission at the CDF Haley Farm national training and retreat center in eastern Tennessee.
“If you want the opportunity and the chance to meet, hear, and see history in the making, come to this Institute. It opens your mind, heart, and soul to issues you didn’t think were important or relevant and drives you to do more and better.” – Joi, first-year participant
CDF Freedom Schools® National Training
National Training is a week-long conference in June each year which trains and deploys over 1,500 young adult Servant Leader Interns (SLIs) together with another 500 community site coordinators and teachers to deliver CDF Freedom Schools across the country each summer.
Learn more about the CDF Freedom Schools program and the Road to Freedom.
One of our incredible student leader interns said that National Training allows young adults to “be able to be ourselves in a nonjudgemental environment by letting down our guards, showing vulnerability, growing our own education and perfecting our craft.” – Second Year Servant Leader Intern
Other events also occur each year hosted by CDF’s national office or our state and regional offices.