Championing the Well-Being of Illinois' Children

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November 2022

What is Children’s Advocates for Change about?

It’s about every child living in safe and affordable housing.
It’s about every child getting a world-class education.
It’s about every child getting needed medical care including mental health services.
It’s about every child having an opportunity to thrive in life.

As an Illinois-based, independent, child advocacy organization working to improve the well-being of all children regardless of their race, ethnicity, or zip code, Children’s Advocates for Change (CAFC) works to see that every child has the food, shelter, medical care, and education he or she needs to succeed in life. That includes efforts to provide greater economic relief for Illinois children and families by establishing a state Child Tax Credit and enhancing the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit.

Our work is also about uplifting the voices of our youth. As part of our efforts, we have a Youth Public Policy Leadership Program. Under this program, we train young people in communication and advocacy skills so that they can be effective spokespeople with elected officials for their interests and those of their communities.

CAFC Vice-President for Public Policy Mitch Lifson working with students at Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School in Chicago as part of our Youth Public Policy Leadership Program.

Here are just a few stories we heard this past year from students in and around Chicago’s west side:

The issue of violence on the west side is very important to me and many other young people in my community. As I shared in my presentation, gun violence is getting worse in Chicago but really on the west side…Kids have lost their lives at sleepovers, parties, [and] parks…I have personally lost an uncle to gun violence.
The issue of funding food banks to get rid of food deserts is very important to me and many other young people in my community…Even as the number of new grocery stores in the city increases, the low-income areas do not reap the benefits. The inclusion of healthy neighborhood restaurants can help people avoid corner stores and fast-food and stave off rising obesity rates in Chicago among the population of over 2.6 million.
As I shared in my presentation, many African Americans get treated differently in the healthcare system than whites. A black person who goes into the hospital may not be treated fairly because of their race. Also, if an African American wanted to get certain treatments they can't because healthcare may not be affordable for them. This has been going on for years, and I haven't seen enough people advocating for it.

Yet, it doesn’t stop with youth telling their stories. CAFC continues to work with them and others to advocate with our public officials for the necessary public policies and appropriations to improve their lives and the communities in which they live. That means collecting and analyzing the data (by race and ethnicity when possible) documenting the condition of our children, educating our elected officials and others about the needs illustrated through that data, and working with policymakers to adopt the necessary legislation to address those issues.

This year, we hosted or participated in online forums on Racial Impact Note Acts and youth mental health. We’ll also be hosting forums on maternal health disparities and family economic supports in December. Throughout the next year, CAFC will be working with community organizations on legislative measures to help reduce the racial and ethnic wealth gaps that exist in Illinois and across the rest of the country.

CAFC President Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat moderates a CAFC Public Policy Forum on youth mental health needs.

We’re proud of our work and ask you to join us by donating to CAFC today. Your financial support helps uplift the voices of our youth and drive our advocacy on their behalf. You can make your contribution electronically at our website https://childrensadvocates.org/donate. Each dollar helps with our outreach to local communities, training youth in advocacy skills, and our own advocacy to reduce the racial and ethic disparities faced by children regarding income, education, housing, and health care.

In addition, you can go to the gallery section of our website to download a .pdf stating you’re a children’s advocate for change. Take a photograph of yourself holding the sign and send it back to us at [email protected]. We’ll add you to the gallery and let everyone of your support.

The pandemic has been a difficult time for individuals across the world. Remote learning for students brought, in many cases, learning losses and accentuated mental health challenges for them. Many children and their families who faced difficult economic circumstances before the pandemic still face challenges regarding affordable housing and food security. Join us as we help them overcome any obstacles they face. Contribute to CAFC today!

Thank you,

Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat

President and Board Member

Children’s Advocates for Change

Our mailing address is:

125 S. Clark Street, 17th Floor Chicago, IL 60603

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