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WASHINGTON - October 26 - The nation's premier children's advocacy organization, the Children's Defense Fund, today announced the start-up of a state office in Oakland, California, dedicated primarily to providing health coverage to all of California's uninsured children. California has 1.7 million children lacking health insurance, the highest number of uninsured children in any state in the country.
"We are so pleased to be on the ground in California, joining forces with other children's advocates to make sure that uninsured children of working parents get the long overdue health coverage they deserve so they can learn in school, grow up healthy, and thrive," said CDF President and Founder Marian Wright Edelman.
CDF was instrumental in persuading Congress to pass the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the largest expansion of children's health coverage since the adoption of Medicaid in 1965. CHIP is a $4 billion a year federal grant program that helps states to provide health insurance for uninsured children in working families. California is using CHIP funds to make health insurance available to about 1 million of the 1.7 million children lacking coverage through its new Healthy Families and expanded Medi-Cal programs.
Under the leadership of Deena Lahn, CDF's new California Child Health Policy Director, the office has joined forces with two other California organizations, Children Now and The Children's Partnership, to form the 100% Campaign, a campaign for health insurance for all of California's children. Lahn brings more than 15 years of advocacy experience, with expertise in coalition building and policy.
"I'm looking forward to seeing a lot more children with health insurance in California and to increasing the number of people who participate in children's advocacy. I like convincing people that they don't have to accept the way things are," said Lahn.
Joining Lahn is California Field Director Kristen Hubbard, former CDF field organizer based in Washington, D.C., where she worked on the national campaign for Child Health Now! to help pass CHIP.
CDF's new office is located at 101 Broadway, Second Floor, Oakland, CA 94607. The telephone number is 510-287-9261.
The Children's Defense Fund also has state offices in Ohio, New York, Minnesota, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
The mission of the 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 of America 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 investment 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 foundations, corporation grants and individual donations. We have never taken government funds.

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