Children

Families and Children

Let's Put Children FIRST!

‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ Matthew 19:14

[9-30-05]

Few organizations do as much on behalf of children as the Children’s Defense Fund. We are proud to support their efforts, particularly the two we bring before you today. FaithfulAmerica urges you to consider two actions on behalf of children as part of your compassionate response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

1) PASS EMERGENCY HEALTH CARE - Four weeks after Katrina’s disaster, with people dislocated from their homes and communities and scattered across the country in many states and cities, the President and Congress have not acted to ensure federal Disaster Relief Medicaid to help traumatized Katrina victims who have already suffered more than enough.

Katrina survivors deserve the same sense of urgency and help provided to our fellow Americans four years ago.

ACTION: Please urge the President and Congress to support the Emergency Health Care Relief Act - Grassley-Baucus (S.1716) CLICK HERE >>

2) HOLD A CHILDREN’S SABBATH - If you are part of a faith community, consider joining in the 14^th Annual National Observance of Children’s Sabbath to lift up the crises facing children in America and God’s call to people of faith to nurture and protect the poor and vulnerable.

You can obtain a manual for your community by going HERE >>

There you will find an extensive manual containing liturgies for many faiths, bulletin inserts, newsletter articles, education pieces for all ages, sermon notes, and everything your community needs to hold a Children’s Sabbath.

Finally, be sure to visit the Children’s Defense Fund Page devoted to Katrina relief resources:

Blessings to you as you take action on behalf of those who need us to speak up right now.

Vince Isner and your FaithfulAmerica.org Team

Washington Office suggests:

Now's the time to urge the President to provide new funding for child nutrition [12-3-03]

As the President and others in the Administration are currently shaping their FY2005 budget, people concerned about improved funding for the child nutrition programs may want to e-mail or call the White House.

Washington Office reports on a victory for juvenile justice [10-15-02]

"Leave no child behind": Taking the slogan seriously [8-8-02]

Marian Wright Edelman, Founder and President of the Children's Defense Fund, has expressed her dismay at President Bush's expropriation of the Fund's slogan. For over a year the CDF consulted experts to assess children's needs and weigh various policies.

The result is the Act to Leave No Child Behind (S 940, HR 1990), introduced by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Representative George Miller (D-GA).

Read more about it, check out their "action guide,' and see what you can do!

Earth-friendly Back-to-School Tips

Simple Ways to Preserve our EcoSystem this September [8-8-02]

The founders of the EcoMall, Tom Kay and Marianne Schnall, offer suggestions for earth-friendly back-to-school shopping as well as activities for youngsters, educators and parents seeking to make a difference in the health of our planet especially at the start of each new school year.

Seeing God

[4-25-02]

At a Catholic school in Hawaii, students and their families were invited to spend a day traveling around their island with the assignment: "Go find God, and when you find him, take his picture and write about what you saw."

They returned with pictures including palm trees, Honolulu skyscrapers, baby siblings, tropical fish, their mothers' hands and even the local Hard Rock Café.

"When asked on the day of the search if she had ever seen God before, one 8-year-old girl whispered, 'No, this is my first time.'"

Check out the article in The Washington Times

Or look for the book which emerged from venture, God's Photo Album. It tells the story of the search, and includes hundreds of photographs taken that day. The 192-page book was published last May, and will be the subject of a made-for-TV movie to air on Christmas.

Thanks to onReligion.com

If you care about the well-being of children, the Presbyterian Washington Office invites you to join in ...

A national call-in day to protect unaccompanied children in INS detention on Tues. February 26, 2002 1pm-4pm Eastern Time [2-20-02]

Building the federal budget for youth

The Presbyterian Washington Office has joined other religious and civic groups in urging Office of Management and Budget to "increase investment in community-based juvenile crime prevention efforts that positively engage children and youth." This includes the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, the Title V Local Delinquency Prevention program, and the national programs under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA), which provide critical assistance to youth in high-risk situations. [12-19-01]

The Washington Office notes that the House of Representatives has been cutting support promised by the President for

The Presbyterian Washington Office reports on juvenile justice legislation just introduced in the Senate [7-16-01]

New information and action for the well-being of children

The Presbyterian Washington Office has forwarded these items from the Children's Defense Fund

[5-1-01]

\\\\\\\\\\//////////

Bullying widespread in American schools

According to a new study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and appearing in the April 25, 2001 edition of the Journal of American Medical Association reports on the prevalence of bullying in US schools. Overall, 10 percent of children said they had been bullied by other students, but had not bullied others. Another 6 percent said that they had both been bullied themselves and had bullied other children. Another 13 percent of students said they had bullied other students, but had not been bullied themselves.

The report is available at http://www.nichd.nih.gov, or from the NICHD Clearinghouse, 1-800-370-2943; e-mail NICHDClearinghouse@mail.nih.gov.

FTC releases follow-up report on the marketing of violent entertainment to children

The follow-up study indicates that the Motion Picture and Electronic Game Industries have demonstrated some progress since the September 2000 report, the Recording Industry has not noticeably altered their marketing techniques.

To view the full text of the article log onto, http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/04/youthviol.htm

*****************************************

FEDERAL UPDATE

Senator Reed introduces bill to close the gun show loophole

On April 24, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced S. 767, legislation to close the gun show loophole. Under the Brady law, all federally licensed firearms dealers are required to perform a background check on prospective buyers. Sellers at gun shows include both federally licensed and private dealers who are not subject to the terms of the Brady bill and do not have to perform background checks. This loophole allows easy access to firearms for those banned from legal purchases (felons, domestic abusers, juveniles, etc). It has been nearly two years since the tragic shooting in Littleton, Colorado, and still the United States Congress has failed to pass any common sense gun safety legislation.

Please call your Senators and urge them to co-sponsor S. 767 to make our communities safer! To contact your Senators and to see a sample letter, log onto www.cdfactioncouncil.org.

GET INVOLVED

Participate in a Stand for Children Day

Stand For Children Day began on June 1, 1996, when over 300,000 people attended the largest demonstration for children in United States history at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

Every year since 1996, on and around June 1, local communities in every state have celebrated Stand For Children Day. Stand For Children Day continues to grow because of the dedication and passion of volunteers who use the day to celebrate and create change for children in their community. While the events vary based on local needs and goals, each year there is a national theme that joins these events together. The Stand For Children Day theme for 2001 is: "Building Our Voice and Vision for All Children."

To find out more, log onto http://www.stand.org/standday01/index.html, or call 800-663-4032.

Coming to a State House near you--two years after Columbine, one year after the Million Mom March

This Mother's Day, a year after the largest rally in U.S. history in support of common sense gun laws, mothers and others are planning to march on state capitols to show continued determination to reaffirm support for common sense gun safety laws at the state and federal levels.

To learn more about a Million Mom March on your state capitol, log onto www.millionmommarch.com or call 888-989-MOMS!