“If my children can’t eat, they can’t go to school and be productive.” -a DC mother, speaking on the importance of TANF. The planned changes to the TANF program will impact 15,000 children, pushing them deeper into poverty. https://loom.ly/5APsDuY

Planned changes to D.C.'s Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families will impact 15,000 children, pushing them deeper into poverty. @childrenslawcenter.org CEO Judith Sandalow and United Planning Organization CEO Andrea Thomas explain in this opinion piece:

This morning, the TANF is Still a Lifeline Coalition held a Council briefing on the District's only cash assistance program for families with children and the devastating impact of cuts. TY @cmfrumin.bsky.social and staff from other council offices for engaging in this important conversation.

Black history is American history. Black history is DC history. It lives in the communities we serve and the work we do with thousands of children and families across the District.

Thank you @cmzparker5.bsky.social for making key changes to the SOUL legislation in response to feedback from individuals with lived experience in DC's foster care system. We are excited for the bill to move to @cmbrookepinto.bsky.social's committee and then to the full Council!

⚖️BIG NEWS: We won an important federal court decision in Robinson v. DC —a major step toward fixing DC’s broken school transportation system for students with disabilities.

Now more than ever, we commit to upholding justice in every child’s life. At Children’s Law Center, we work every day to ensure that DC’s children have the foundation of family, health and education they deserve—and that systemic barriers are dismantled so all kids can thrive.

Our CEO @judithsandalow.bsky.social was honored yesterday as a Washingtonian of the Year by the @washingtonian.com 🎉 For 26 years, Judith has led Children’s Law Center with vision and determination – one that is focused on giving children a strong foundation of family, health and education.

Families Together Staff Attorney, Victoria Clark loved to read Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell as a child. She shares: “This book teaches you to be proud of the things that make you different”. #CLCFavBooks 🎒✨📚

We are thrilled to share that Children's Law Center CEO @judithsandalow.bsky.social has been recognized by @washingtonian.com as a 2025 Washingtonian of the Year. She joins nine other leaders who are making a difference throughout the region. Join us in congratulating her!

WaPo reporter Jonathan Edwards highlighted severe issues STILL plaguing the transportation system for students with disabilities in DC. We're back in court today, demanding improvements from OSSE to ensure every student has reliable transportation to school: https://ow.ly/iUHz50XSbHY

Happy holidays from all of us at Children’s Law Center 🎁 As we reflect on this year, we’re grateful for the families, partners and supporters we work with to advocate for DC children. Wishing our community a season filled with warmth, hope, and moments of rest as we look ahead to the new year.

Hundreds of students face major hurdles in receiving the right educational support and obtaining evaluations that identify learning disabilities. @daniellerobinette.bsky.social spoke as an expert witness before the DC Council, underscoring how systemic barriers deny meaningful access to education.

Our policy analyst Chris Gamble got a big shout out today for bringing a concrete solution to an urgent budget issue! Creating a 988 fee will ensure predictable funding as DC works to enhance its crisis response system. Thank you @chenderson.bsky.social for introducing this important bill.

SOUL is a youth-driven, new permanency goal for older youth in foster care. SOUL legally recognizes the circle of loving adults in an older youth’s life who are committed to their future. We are excited to keep moving this key legislation forward! @cmzparker5.bsky.social

ICYMI: Some happy news this week. 👏🏿👏🏻👏🏽TY @dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social for leading this fight. We stand with 700,000+ DC residents who want to defend Home Rule and protect our democracy.

👏🏿👏🏻👏🏽TY Practising Law Institute for featuring our class action lawsuit that aims to improve DC's bus system. Proud to work w The Arc of the United States, Washington Lawyers' Committee and McDermott Will & Schulte to fix the issues that impact 4,000+ students w disabilities. https://ow.ly/FEly50XtOT5

Tune in tmrw as @cmzparker5.bsky.social & @cmbrookepinto.bsky.social hold a hearing on a bill to establish SOUL, a new permanency goal for older youth in foster care. Individuals w/ experience in care will share why SOUL is needed & how they developed the bill with government agencies & partners.

Yesterday our new Policy Attorney Patrick Cothern testified in support of the Housing with Integrity Amendment Act of 2025. TY @cmlewisgeorgew4.bsky.social @cmcharlesallen.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social for introducing the bill & @brianneknadeau.bsky.social for your thoughtful questions!

Last week @cmzparker5.bsky.social introduced the SOUL Amendment Act, which will help older youth in foster care leave the system with legal, caring relationships and lasting supports as they take on adult responsibilities. Thank you CM Parker for bringing this important bill to the Council!

Last week marked the end of a 30-day federal emergency, but the reality is: DC children & families are not safer than they were a month ago. The ongoing federal interference, paired with massive budget cuts, continues to undermine stability and security in ways that don’t play out in the news. (1/3)

Thank you @washlaw4cr.bsky.social , @aclu-dc.bsky.social and our many other legal partners for filing this important Amicus. The ongoing presence of National Guard troops in DC weakens our democracy and puts our entire nation at greater risk.

DC students go back to school on Monday! Sign up to adopt a school and show up on Monday morning to make some noise and support our kids! forms.office.com/pages/respon...

We join all who are voicing concerns about President Trump's unwarranted federal intervention in the District. Read our full statement here: childrenslawcenter.org/news/stateme...

We applaud the @councilofdc.bsky.social ‬for investing in resources like long-term vouchers to prevent family homelessness instead of sacrificing privacy standards in family shelters to cut costs. Let’s keep working toward safe and stable housing for all DC children and families!

This year’s DC budget was incredibly difficult with cuts to programs and services that are so critical for DC children and families. While it can be hard to celebrate “wins” in this moment, we appreciate the hard work that the DC Council and staff put into improving the budget where possible. 🧵

Tomorrow the @councilofdc.bsky.social will vote on the DC budget, but some concerning gaps remain -- including $$$ for our city's only mental health crisis team for children. Today's story by Lauren Lumpkin in the @washingtonpost.com shares more.🧵

We are excited to announce our new ‘Families Together’ program which allows us to reach DC children and families sooner —forming new partnerships with community-based organizations and government agencies, all with the goal of strengthening families impacted by poverty.

An effective crisis response system includes someone to call, someone to respond, and a safe place to go. For youth in DC, ChAMPS provides that response. If funding is not restored to $1.37M, our city’s only crisis response team for children will cease to exist. @cmbrookepinto.bsky.social

Our Equal Justice Works Fellow, Sierra Campbell, was hooked on the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine growing up—drawn in by the adventures, mysteries, and unexpected twists. “I still love Halloween and anything spooky,” she shares. #CLCFavBooks ✨📚👻

TY @chmnmendelson.bsky.social and the @councilofdc.bsky.social for working to restore $$$ to the #AccessToJustice Initiative in the FY26 budget🙌 These funds provide a vital safety net for DC families—ensuring access to legal help when facing issues with housing, family stability, and more.

Thank you @cmfrumin.bsky.social and @chmnmendelson.bsky.social for your leadership on these improvements🌟We hope the @councilofdc.bsky.social will build on these efforts in the final budget to ensure more DC families can access stable housing and safe homeless services.

The mayor’s FY26 budget is filled with harmful cuts that affect DC’s lowest-income residents and would reverse long-standing protections for families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Read the full story below:

Senior Policy Attorney Leah Castelaz joined local + natl partners at the Doula Learning and Action Collaborative in Las Vegas. Together, they developed actionable strategies that support family stability from day one. Thank you to the Institute for Medicaid Innovation for convening the group!

A few months ago, @cmchenderson.bsky.social & @cmbrookepinto.bsky.social held a robust hearing on humane and trauma-informed crisis response in the District. Now, in the final weeks of FY26 budget deliberations, we must ensure adequate funding for those badly needed services.

Our CEO Judith Sandalow joined leaders from 20+ orgs in DC, urging the @councilofdc.bsky.social to reverse cuts to social services, which threaten efforts to improve quality of life for residents. We can't achieve healthy, thriving communities with the budget as is. www.dcfpi.org/nonprofitlea...

The ATJ Initiative works. Make funding a priority. @chmnmendelson.bsky.social @anitabondsdc.bsky.social @robertwhitedc.bsky.social @cmchenderson.bsky.social @brianneknadeau.bsky.social @cmfrumin.bsky.social @cmlewisgeorgew4.bsky.social cmzparker5.bsky.social @cmcharlesallen.bsky.social

Today kicks off a series of @councilofdc.bsky.social Committee votes that will move our local DC budget forward. In an especially complex budget year, we realize the DC Council has had to make incredibly hard decisions to balance both short- and long-term needs. Follow along as we share updates. 🧵

DC’s #AccessToJustice grants provide critical legal services to children and families – from healthy housing to supports for students with disabilities and so much more. Watch this testimony from Ms. Harris who shares more on how legal supports kept her kids’ education on track. ow.ly/Nuyt50WaqpC

This June, we celebrate 50 years of Pride in DC! For decades, our city’s LGBTQ+ community has led the way in fighting for justice, visibility, and change. We stand as allies of LGBTQ+ communities; committed to a more inclusive DC where every person is safe, supported, and seen. #HappyPRIDE🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

(1/2)🧠 May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth and we’ve long championed children's behavioral health: 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 We advocate for more and better supports for the children and families we work with 🏫 Seek policy solutions to improve DC’s School-Based Behavioral Health program

Healthy Together Staff Attorney, Saisha Nanduri, favorite childhood book is Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans. She shares: “It was the first book that I learned how to read on my own, and one of my favorite childhood memories is reading the entire book to my Mom”. #CLCFavBooks 🎒✨📚

We're grateful to the DC Bar Foundation for spotlighting legal aid orgs + partners in their latest issue. Our Chief Legal Officer, LaShanda Adams, shares how we advocate for DC kids & families daily. Read how the DCBF helps fuels our mission: childrenslawcenter.org/news/washing...

💌Join your neighbors and councilmembers, incl @robertwhitedc.bsky.social & @cmfrumin.bsky.social who chair the committees most important to housing concerns Register at bit.ly/FBCHousingTo... for this Thursday's Housing Town Hall @ Sycamore & Oak to talk about YOUR housing priorities 🏠🏚️

Join us in honoring our 2024 Champions for Children! Thanks to our generous legal and corporate partners, we can strengthen families and ensure more positive health and education outcomes for children. #C4C Read about our 2024 Champions for Children Campaign: childrenslawcenter.org/champions-ch...

🌸DC's cherry blossoms remind us of the deep-rooted connections between Asian heritage and our city's history. This month, we celebrate the rich cultures, contributions, and voices of our Asian American and Pacific Islander community at Children’s Law Center and beyond! #AAPIHeritageMonth

April is National Kite Month! 🪁🪁🪁Our Kite Club community is 200+ people strong – individuals who are committed to helping DC children soar to new heights. A huge thank you to all who are part of our Kite Club. Learn more about how you can join here! childrenslawcenter.org/get-involved...

This week was the first ever #NationalHomeVisitingWeek! It was great to meet with Councilmembers during Under3DC’s advocacy day to uplift DC’s home visiting programs, as well as HealthySteps, Healthy Futures, and other early childhood priorities in the District. @spacesinaction.bsky.social

The children and families we work with know that we’re in it for the long haul. We helped Tala find stability during a difficult time. She reached back out to us a few years later when she was in college and had trouble with her financial aid. #CLC2024Report childrenslawcenter.org/children-and...

Our Healthy Together Deputy Director Jennifer Mezey loves the ‘Paper Bag Princess’ by Robert Munsch. She shares: “It was my favorite book to read with my kids AND still is my favorite gift to other kids.” #CLCFavBooks 👑✨📚