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CDF-MN Blog
National School Breakfast Week is March 4-8
March 7, 2013
National School Breakfast Week, being celebrated March 4 – 8, is designed to educate students, parents and the community about the benefits of a healthy school breakfast.The School Breakfast Program in MN is woefully underutilized, so CDF-MN is working to increase participation because of the many benefits eating breakfast has for academic, social and health outcomes for children.
Honoring Young People Who "Beat the Odds"
May 16, 2013,
Four students will be honored at CDF-MN's 21st Annual Beat the Odds ceremony on Friday, May 17. These inspiring teens overcame tremendous obstacles, including abuse, poverty, homelessness, loss of family, to achieve academic excellence and make positive contributions to their communities. Beat the Odds is just one part of CDF-MN's work to ensure that no child hasovercome such tremendous adversity.
National School Breakfast Week is March 4-8
March 6, 2013,
Research shows that children who eat breakfast at school perform better academically, especially in vocabulary, math, and standardized tests. But the School Breakfast Program is underutilized in Minnesota creating an annual “missing meals” gap of almost 30 million meals. CDF-MN received a grant from Hunger-Free MN to close that gap by 4 million meals by increasing school breakfast participation.
The Fortune of Opportunity: Increase Incomes, Improve Outcomes
November 6, 2012,
This blog was republished on May 15, 2013 as the House and Senate meet to conference the minimum wage bill.
Hundreds of thousands of Minnesota children live in financially unstable families. Economic fragility of families harms the development of children. Voting for candidates that support policies that improve economic stability for families can change that.
Job creation must be synonymous with increasing access to affordable, quality child care
October 23, 2012,
A top issue for candidates this election is creating jobs, but before a parents can consider working they must find affordable, quality child care for their children. With child care costs exceeding college tuition costs, this is difficult for low and middle income families. When talking jobs candidates must realize they need to address child care access and affordability as well.
Minnesota’s increasingly regressive tax policies need review to ensure necessary investments
October 16, 2012,
Public work support programs help us all do better
October 9, 2012,
A smart investment, public programs like health care and food programs not only allow families to achieve a level of economic stability but they provide a needed boost to local economies, a win-win for all of us.
What is high quality early education for young children and why does it matter to all Minnesotans?
October 1, 2012,
Research shows investment in high quality early childhood programs pays off later in a child’s life in increased productivity, better health and less crime. It’s one of the best investments our state can make, so what is high quality and how can we get candidates talking about how they will invest in the youngest Minnesotans?
Every Voice Counts in Minnesota!
September 24, 2012,
I remember the first time I was eligible to vote. It was 1974 and the country was reeling from the Watergate scandal. Despite this tension, the one positive step I could take was to exercise my constitutional right to vote and make my voice heard. That year Minnesota began offering same-day voter registration.
Fast forward to 2012 and again our country is engaged in a polarizing political debate.
Let's All Get Behind The Affordable Care Act
July 3, 2012,
Since the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the majority of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), 56% of Americans say opponents of the law should “stop trying to block implementation and instead move on to other national problems,” according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll. It would be nice to see all Americans get behind moving forward on health care reform.
The Five Reasons Work Support Programs Deserve Legislators' Support
June 4, 2012,
Policymakers will need to balance state budgets while recognizing the important role work support programs play in helping maintain the health of our state and Minnesota's families.
Celebrating Expanded Health Care Access For Children
April 10, 2012,
The Affordable Care Act turned two in March, a passage worth celebrating for the thousands of Americans who have received the gift of better health care coverage.
Our Work Makes a Difference - Beat the Odds 20th Year
March 13, 2012,
"Our Work Makes a Difference–Beat the Odds 20th Year" by Sybil Axner, Associate Director. Every once in a while, an event occurs that reclarifies for me the importance of our work here at Children’s Defense Fund–Minnesota on behalf of children and the extraordinary impact Beat the Odds has on those honored. Last week, I had one of those experiences.
Food Support Blog 3 - My Personal Story
January 12, 2012,
How Food Programs Helped Me Thrive. This is the final in a series of three blogs on Food Support. Food Support is Minnesota’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but is known on the streets as “food stamps.” The first blog featured the history of Food Support and its economic boost to communities and the second analyzed recent and proposed Food Support legislation.
#2 Food Support-Benefits Families and Communities
November 18, 2011,
Blog Update: Just before Thanksgiving the supercommittee failed to meet its deadline for a comprehensive budget reduction plan. Now $1.2 trillion in automatic across-the-board budget cuts are slated to go into effect on January 1, 2013. For now, it benefits families and communities that Federal Nutrition Programs didn't get cut.
Food Support-Benefits Families and Communities
October 12, 2011,
This is the first in a series of three blogs on Food Support. We should all support increased enrollment in Food Support. News stories, Facebook posts and Senate hearings have blasted unwarranted attacks on Food Support in recent months. These attacks exacerbate an existing stigma of people enrolled in the program, but even more harmful they...
MN Worst-Foster Care
August 9, 2011,
Recently released statistics show Minnesota still leads the country—on an unfortunate statistic. We continue to have some of worst foster care disprorportionality rates for Native American and African American children in the country.
What’s at stake for children and families on the debt ceiling debate?
July 22, 2011,
The clock is ticking for President Obama and Congress to strike a deal on the federal budget and/or raise the debt ceiling. But what would the impact be to children and families around the country if we do not raise the debt ceiling? To be frank, the effect would be disastrous.
This Land Was Made For You and Me
July 1, 2011,
I am looking forward to celebrating my son’s first 4th of July. We will spend time with family, play in the water, watch a boat parade, ooh and aah at colorful fireworks, and sing songs celebrating our great country!
Is this land made for you and me?
Today marks the first day of our state shutdown. Statewide, our neighbors are feeling many emotions – concern, anxiety, fear, anger, and dismay.
Why are there still so many inequities for children of color in our educational system?
January 14, 2011,
A recent report issued by Education Week, graded states’ education systems throughout the country. The report gave Minnesota an overall grade of C, placing it 36th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Most shockingly, Minnesota received a D+ on “efforts to improve teaching,” ranking us 39th in that category.
Screening for Maternal Depression Helps Moms and Babies
November 1, 2010,
The American Academic Pediatrics' recommended that new mothers be routinely screened for depression by their infant's pediatrician. The potentially harmful effects of maternal depression on mothers and babies can be averted with these early screenings.
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