CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND ANNUAL REPORT ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND .!I!!. he mission ofthe Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind"' and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children ofAmerica who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive invest­ ment before they get sick or into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants, and individual donations. We have never taken government funds. Cover Photos (Front and Back) © Todd Rosenberg The Langston Hughes Library designed by Maya Lin at the former Alex Haley Farm. It is CDF's center for spiritual renewal and leadership development to build a movement to Leave No Child Behind. © 1999 Children's Defense Fund. All rights reserved. CONTENTS CDF Board of Directors .......................................................... .. 2 CDF Management Team ......................................................... .. 4 A Message from the President. .................................................... .. 5 25th Anniversary Celebration Events 7 A Summary of Key 1998 Accomplishments 8 1998 Financial Report 18 1998 Donors 22 CDF BOARD OF DIRECTORS ·~ .. 71 David W. Hornbeck, Chair Geoffrey Canada John D. Deardourff Superintendent of Schools Director and Chief Executive Officer President School District of Philadelphia Rheedlen Centers for Children & Deardourff- The Media Company Philadelphia, PA Families McLean, VA New York, NY Carol Oughton Biondi Maureen A. Cogan, Vice Chair Marian Wright Edelman Community Advocate Child Advocate President Los Angeles, CA New York, NY Children's Defense Fund Washington, DC ,fr . Angela Glover Blackwell Leonard S. Coleman Jr. Winifred Green President President President PolicyLink National League of Professional Southern Coalition for Educational Oakland, CA Baseball Equity New York, NY Jackson, MS Kirbyjon Caldwell Leslie Cornfeld-Urfirer, Esq. Howard H. Haworth, Vice Chair Senior Pastor Deputy Chief President The Windsor Village - U.S. Attorney's Office The Haworth Group St. John's United Methodist Churches Brooklyn, NY Charlotte, NC Houston, TX 2 Children's Defense Fund CDF BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Dorothy I. Height Leonard Riggio Thomas A. Troyer, Esq. President Emerita and Chair of Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Partner National Council of Negro Women Barnes & Noble, Inc. Caplin & Drysdale Washington, DC New York, NY Washington, DC Dr. Marylin B. Levitt Dennis Rivera Abigail S. Wexner, Esq. Assistant Professor President Attorney and Community Advocate Department of Psychiatry 1199 National Health & Human New Albany, OH George Washington University Service Employees Union, SEIU, Medical School AFL-CIO Washington, DC New York, NY William Lynch Jr., Vice Chair J. Michael Solar, Esq. Vice President Managing Partner MacAndrews & Forbes Solar & Fernandes, L.L.P. New York, NY Houston, TX Heidi G. Miller Susan P. Thomases, Esq. Executive Vice President and Chief Retired Partner 7:inancial Officer Willkie Farr & Gallagher Citigroup New York, NY New York, NY Annual Report 1998 3 CDF MANAGEMENT TEAM Marian Wright Edelman President Photo not available Barbara Kelley Duncan Susanne Martinez Jodie Torkelson Vice President for Leadership Senior Vice President-Policy Vice President of Operations Development and the Black Community Crusade for Children Grace Reef Laura Dromerick Director of Director of Finance Intergovernmental Relations and Administration Peggy Lewis Jill Bokor Director of Communications Director of Development 4 Children's Defense Fund MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 1998 marked the beginning of the Children's Defense Fund's second quarter century of research, public education, and advocacy for America's children. Coming of age brings with it change: growing pains as well as many achievements. In this • new stage of our maturity, we have seen policies and programs reach fruition that have benefited millions of children. But we also have seen the necessity for new initiatives and for vigi­ lance in staying on the creative edge of change. Happily, we can report that more people than ever before have joined CDF's crusade to Leave No Child Behindoo and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. Sadly, our job is far from over. Littleton, Colorado's massacre of children by children underscores this fact. That a Littleton happens quietly almost every day in America as nearly thirteen children are killed by gun violence - a classroomful every two days ­ underscores the urgency of our work. It is time for every adult to commit to keeping our children safe and getting all of our children ready to learn and ready to succeed in school and in life. It is unacceptable that in the wealthiest and most powerful nation on Earth: 1 in 3 children will be poor at some time in childhood 1 in 3 is a year or more behind in school 1 in 4 is born poor 1 in 7 lacks health insurance 1 in 8 never graduates from high school A child who cannot read, write, compute, and operate a computer is sentenced to economic and social death in our knowledge-based American and global economies. Yet millions of American children cannot read at their grade level and too many children enter school not ready to learn. Millions more who graduate from high school are still unable to read well enough to pass an entry level job test or get an above-poverty wage job in our economy. We must and will change this with your help. That 200 children will drop out of school, 45 children will be born into poverty, 16 will be born at low birthweight, five will be arrested for violent crime, and one child will be wounded by gunfire in the next half hour is a far greater threat to American democracy and to every American's security than any external threat. Yet the budget for purported military readiness in the post-Cold War era is being greatly increased while the budget for school readiness for every child is being cheated. The social and health security of vot­ ing senior citizens is correctly at the top of every politician's agenda for investment while the social and health security of non-voting children are at or near the bottom, if the Annual Report 1998 5 measure is actual level of investment and child outcomes rather than political rhetoric. And corporate welfare still takes precedence over child welfare. This is not right, sensible, or cost-effective. It is time for America to be fair to its children and to invest the same level of leadership, attention, and resources we invest in assuring that senior citizens, non-needy adults, and corporate and military interests are protected. In this time of unprecedented economic prosperity, federal and state budget surpluses, and a booming $8.6 trillion economy, our children's needs can and must be met. This will require a powerful movement led by people of faith, women, especially mothers and grandmothers, and youths raising an insistent and persistent voice for children. You will read about CDF's significant accomplishments over the past year in this report. In the years ahead, we seek to assure every child safety, health insurance, quality child care, good schools, and the early childhood foundation and youth development supports they need to reach their God-given potential in life. To achieve our goals, we will be implementing a massive and long-range strategic communication and organizing plan for children and training a successor generation ofleaders to carry us into the future. We seek to position children at the center of policy-maker and citizen concern and action, as the environmental movement did in another era. The achievements of the Children's Defense Fund this past year would not have been possible without your help and we are so very grateful to you. Special thanks to those who made our 25'" anniversary such a success. Maureen and Marshall Cogan, Carol and Frank Biondi and Universal Studios, Whitney Houston, Mrs. Deloris Jordan, Dwayne Crompton, Les and Abigail Wexner, and the Sara Lee Corporation sponsored a series of benefits to ensure CDF long-term stability. As we enter our second quarter century, we know our most significant contributions lie ahead. With your help we will build an America where no child is left behind. In faith and hope, J!k:- 4"~JJ_·- Marian Wright Edelman 6 Children's Defense Fund 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION EVENTS 25th Anniversary All-Star Gala Celebration • "Beat the Odds" Celebration and Benefit· May 11, 1998 October 19 & 20, 1997 African American History Museum, Detroit, Michigan Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Avery Fisher Hall, A special tribute evening to outstanding Detroit area New York, New York high school students. Four thousand children and families from all over New York City participated in a Children's Sabbath service A Celebration of Children' May 13, 1998 and performance at the Cathedral of St. John the The Limited Corporate Headquarters, Columbus, Ohio Divine. Rosie O'Donnell, Glenn Close, Iman, and others The Children's Defense Fund's Annual Ohio Benefit hosted joined First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in a star­ by The Limited Inc. and CDF board member Abigail Wexner studded gala and dinner hosted by CDF Board Vice and her husband Leslie Wexner for CDFs Ohio office. Chair Maureen Cogan and Marshall Cogan at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, which raised $1.4 million.