Want to get involved in public decisions that affect children's lives? Want a place to get started? These national organizations monitor funding and policy proposals on child care, nutrition, education, health care and more. Their legislative updates and action alerts can help you get the right message to the right person at the right time!

Alliance for Children and Families
The Alliance tracks federal legislation on child abuse prevention and interventions, social services for low-income families, mental health and other family-friendly supports.
http://capwiz.com/alliance1/home/

American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics monitors changes in Medicaid, SCHIP and other health care programs and policies that benefit children.
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/washing/elections/med_factsheet_pub.htm
American Association of School Administrators
The American Association of School Administrators tracks legislation affecting students with disabilities and school-based health services.
http://www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=AASA

America's Second Harvest
America's Second Harvest represents food banks across the nation, and helps people take action to improve policies and programs to help feed the hungry.
http://www.secondharvest.org/policy/policy.html

Bread for the World
Bread for the World works to improve child nutrition programs and policies that help strengthen low-income families.
http://www.bread.org/issues/index.html

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
The Campaign tracks how states are using their tobacco settlement moneys to prevent tobacco use and improve health care for children and families.
http://tobaccofreekids.org/campaign/federal/
http://tobaccofreekids.org/campaign/state/

Children's Defense Fund
The Children's Defense Fund analyzes the impact of proposed federal legislation on ensuring that every child has a healthy start, head start, fair start, safe start and a moral start.
http://www.childrensdefense.org/

Child Welfare League of America
The Child Welfare League supports improved funding and policies that help strengthen families and protect children at risk of maltreatment.
http://www.cwla.org/advocacy/kidsadvocate.htm

Connect for Kids
The Connect for Kids Weekly e-newsletter provides a weekly update on new data, research, evaluations and public policy debates on a wide range of children's issues – from child care, to health, education, financial security and safety.
http://www.connectforkids.org

Every Child Matters
Every Child Matters sets out to make children's needs a national political priority and promotes the adoption of smart policies for children and families, including stopping child abuse, helping working families with child care, expanding preschool education and after-school programs, and ensuring that children get good health care.
http://www.everychildmatters.org

Families USA
Families USA keeps track of funding and policy decisions that make a difference for children's health care.
http://www.familiesusa.org

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids
Quality child care and preventing child abuse are key to reducing youth crime, argues this advocacy organization, which tracks federal legislation to improve access to quality care.
http://www.fightcrime.org/

National Association for the Education of Young Children
The NAEYC e-newsletter summarizes what's happening in Washington, D.C. and around the states on improving early learning programs, preschools, and child care options for families.
http://www.naeyc.org/childrens_champions/default.asp

National Association of Children's Hospitals
The National Association of Children's Hospitals monitors public decisions that affect health services for children. "http://www.childrenshospitals.net/Template.cfm?Section=Grassroots_Advocacy1&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=21&ContentID=1649"

National Association of Secondary School Principals
The National Association of Secondary School Principals tracks political decisions affecting education, including federal funding and legislation.
http://www.nassp.org

National Association of Elementary School Principals
The National Association of Elementary School Principals action alerts keep you in touch with elected officials regarding federal funding and legislation regarding education and the public schools.
http://www.naesp.org

National Association of Social Workers
NASW tracks policies and programs that benefit families and communities. http://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/default.asp

National Collaboration for Youth
If you think it's hard to focus public attention on political decisions affecting young children, try getting public support for policies and programs that help older youth! That's what the National Collaboration for Youth does.
http://www.nydic.org/nydic/policy.html

National Head Start Association
The National Head Start Association monitors proposed changes and funding for Head Start and other early learning programs.
http://www.nhsa.org/

National PTA
More than just a fund-raiser for local schools, the PTA analyzes and takes a stand on many issues before Congress that make a difference for public schools.
http://www.pta.org/ptawashington/index.asp

Public Education Network
The Public Education Network works locally and nationally to ensure that public education is the top priority for every community.
http://www.publiceducation.org/policychange.asp

RESULTS
RESULTS has expanded beyond its original mission to "get results" in reducing world hunger. It provides regular updates and action alerts on child care, child nutrition, work supports for low-wage families and other issues of importance for helping children and families.
http://www.results.org

Voices for America's Children
Learn about the ongoing initiatives of Voices for America's Children, and be sure to connect with your state and local organizations to see what they have to say about important decisions for kids and families.
http://www.childadvocacy.org