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175 Advocacy Groups Endorse Bill Protecting Foster Kids from Deportation

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May 20, 2013

Washington – As Congress debates immigration reform, 175 state and national organizations led by the First Focus Campaign for Children today endorsed the Foster Children Opportunity Act (H.R. 2036).

Bipartisan Amendment to Keep Families Together Passes Senate Committee

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May 20, 2013

Washington – The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee today approved an amendment sponsored by Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to strengthen protections for children in the Senate “Gang of 8” comprehensive immigration reform bill (S. 744). The amendment was cosponsored by Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Democratic Senators Chris Coons (Del.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), and Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), and by Republican Senators John Cornyn (Texas) and Ted Cruz (Texas).

House Farm Bill Would Make Child Hunger Worse

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May 16, 2013

Washington – The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture voted Wednesday to cut nearly $21 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), an investment that allocates 47 percent of funding to U.S. children. The Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (commonly referred to as the Farm Bill) would also weaken two other child nutrition initiatives: SNAP-Education (“SNAP-Ed”) and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley released the following statement in response to the vote:

In the News

High Stakes for Children in Immigration Reform

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May 21, 2013
By Alison Burns
Public News Service

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Let's Protect our Children

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January 11, 2013

Let's Protect our ChildrenThis ad calling on Congress to protect critical investments in our children including early childhood, education, and nutrition from upcoming budget negotiations ran in the Jan. 11, 2013 print edition of Politico.

Champions for Children 2012

October 2, 2012

Champions for Children 2012First Focus Campaign for Children recognized the 2012 Champions for Children and Defenders of Children on Tuesday, October, 2012 in Roll Call Newspaper.

A Utah Success Story

June 14, 2012

A Utah Success StoryThis ad ran in UtahPolicy.com, a leading Utah political blog, during the weeks immediately before and following the state's 2012 presidential primary election. We worked with Voices for Utah Children to place the ad, which linked to a page urging policymakers and opinion leaders to reject threats to invest in CHIP.

Top of Our List

Ryan’s Budget Risks the Health and Future of Our Nation’s Children

August 20, 2012
By Lisa Shapiro

As the news was announced that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney had selected Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate my heart sank. Not because Chairman Ryan is a year younger than I am nor because I think he isn’t qualified for the Vice President’s job. I was disappointed because I have studied Ryan’s plans to tackle the budget deficit and I have real concerns that his proposal to rein in federal spending would have a serious negative impact on the health and well-being of our nation’s children – especially those who are most vulnerable.

A Day of Hope for Immigrant Youth: USCIS Accepting Applications for Deferred Action

August 15, 2012
By Kevin Lindsey

While I am new on the immigration policy advocacy scene – I’ve only been working for fair immigration policies for children and youth for about six months – what I’ve seen in that short time has been enlightening and moving. It has been great in these few months to meet young undocumented activists, people like Gaby Pacheco, Cesar Vargas and Tolu Olubunmi, and hear their stories of having the odds stacked against them but overcoming those hardships to achieve great things.

Put Child Care on the Map

June 6, 2012
By Kevin Lindsey

High quality child care is an essential resource for working families. It allows parents to go to work or school and provides children with a safe place to spend the day while contributing to their healthy development. But with the price of center-based child care outpacing the price of in-state tuition in many states and rising poverty levels for children and families, fewer and fewer working families can afford adequate child care.