Ice hockey fans are devoted to their sport, unfazed by the game's physical demands, cumbersome equipment, and the red-hot competition for ice time. Massachusetts is one of the centers of hockey fever in the U.S. So it's only fitting that the gradually growing list of hockey clubs for children with special needs now includes The Boston Bear Cubs, which hit the ice in February. Lisa M. Cataldo explains how the Cubs got their start, and what the club means to its players and their parents.

Too often, kids who lose their homes also lose much more, as they are either abruptly transferred to new schools or stop going because they lack documentation to enroll. A federal law, McKinney-Vento, helps. But it takes caring people, teamwork, and funding to make it work. Judith Reppucci reports on how New Bedford, Massachusetts is facing up to the challenge.

Armed with data from KIDS COUNT statistics and a strong sense of the issues facing Massachusetts kids, citizens involved in this grassroots campaign will demand that candidates for public office put forth their positions on issues affecting children and families.

The Massachusetts Campaign for Children is borrowing techniques from the world of business and politics to position itself for the 21st century.

People who campaign for children in Massachusetts may not necessarily enjoy the nature of political scuffles, but in order to improve the world—or the state-for kids—they have to get the right laws passed.

Forging a strong relationship with the media is part of the Massachusetts Campaign for Children's strategy to promote social change for children and families.