This year the CIM interns are excited to host the 2020 Organizational Challenge. As many of you know, we have chosen the Children's Defense Fund as our charity of choice and are thrilled to support such an influential and inspiring fund. For more than 40 years the mission of the Children's Defense been has been to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start. The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is a 501(c)(3) national, non-profit child advocacy organization that  strives to level the playing field for all children through policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education and a moral and spiritual foundation. 

Programs: 
1) CDF Freedom Schools®, which reach more than 12,000 children every year, empowers children to excel and make a difference tomorrow.  Because Freedom Schools are staffed primarily by college students of color, it helps build two generations of change-makers at the same time.
2)The CDF Beat the Odds® (BTO) program honors outstanding high school students who have excelled academically and as leaders in their communities despite facing difficult circumstances in their lives. Their powerful stories of resilience, courage, determination, and hope inform CDF’s efforts to change the odds for all children and serve as a reminder that we cannot afford to give up on any child; the potential for greatness lives in all children regardless of their background or circumstance.
3) Various faith-based programs : For more than 20 years, CDF has worked closely with national religious leaders and organizations, state and regional bodies, and local congregations, leaders, and lay people. Religious people and organizations—with millions of members, deep roots in communities across the country, a history of caring for children and moral authority—are indispensable to building a successful Leave No Child Behind® movement.

Activism: 
The Children's Defense Fund also advocates through local and federal governments to support their policy priorities - Child Poverty, Child Health, Early Childhood Education, Child Welfare, Youth Justice & Gun Violence.

If you chose to donate anonymously but would still like your team to earn points e-mail the contact below with your name, donation amount and activity information. Thank you very much for participating in the Intern Fundraiser and supporting the CDF!

Alyse.deluca      - cigna email