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Organization celebrates 30 years of child advocacy |
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Raleigh, NC– Action for Children North Carolina, a leading nonprofit, nonpartisan, policy and research organization, is celebrating its 30th anniversary by recognizing the contributions of child advocates across the state. The organization is currently accepting nominations for its Shining Star Award, which honors individuals whose outstanding dedication and commitment to child advocacy have made North Carolina a better place to be and raise a child. “We are excited to invite nominations for our new Shining Star Award,” said Dr. Alan Stiles, Chair of Action for Children’s Board of Directors and Senior Vice President/Brewer Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics at UNC-Chapel Hill. “Child advocates are so often unsung heroes, and this award is our small way to highlight their big accomplishments on behalf of North Carolina’s children and youth.” Since 1983, Action for Children North Carolina has aimed to ensure that all of North Carolina’s children are healthy, safe, well-educated, and have every opportunity for success in life. The organization was founded by the state legislature to fill a gap in impartial data and research on North Carolina’s child well-being.
Action for Children’s public policy successes include: helping to expand Health Choice to cover more than 140,000 children, supporting the passage of critical child safety laws like the booster seat law and the child bicycle safety act, orchestrating the ban of corporal punishment in nearly all of North Carolina’s school districts, and helping to lift nearly 300,000 North Carolinians–half of whom were children–above the federal poverty line through passage of the Earned Income Tax Credit.
“These are remarkable accomplishments,” said Dr. Stiles, “And yet, we know there is more work to be done to improve the well-being of North Carolina’s children.” “The critical work undertaken by groups like Action for Children sometimes flies under the radar because policy advocacy is harder to quantify than–for example–the number of houses built,” said former Chief Justice, and previous Action for Children Board Member, Burley Mitchell. “But Action for Children’s advocacy work is what pushes the state legislature and local leaders to change laws, improve policies and create a better state for our children and youth.” Nominations for the Shining Star Award must be received by Action for Children no later Friday, June 14, 2013. Action for Children’s 30th anniversary celebration and Shining Star Award ceremony will be held on Wednesday, November 6 from 6-8 pm at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. For more information, contact Beth Williamson, 30th Anniversary Event Coordinator, atbeth@ncchild.org or call at 919.834.6623 ext. 235. |
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