Overview
Every sturdy structure begins with a strong foundation, and every meaningful change in the lives of children and families starts the same way: with people who believe it is possible, and who commit themselves to making it real.
That is the spirit behind this year’s Impact Report, and its theme: Building Blocks of Progress.
At The Children’s Agenda, we know that no single organization, policy win, or advocacy campaign transforms a community on its own. What creates lasting change is the accumulation of intentional effort – block by block, partnership by partnership, year after year. You, our collaborators, funders, community partners, and advocates, are those building blocks. The work in these pages would not exist without you.
Throughout 2025, we continued to focus on initiatives that create positive, long-term change for children and families across New York state. Because persistent structural and racial inequities result in worse outcomes for children of color and minoritized children especially, we work to center the voices and lived experiences of families in everything we do, from local neighborhoods to the state capitol. Our strengths in policy-driven research, effective organizing, and impactful advocacy are only as powerful as the community of people and organizations that stand behind them.
We also know that this work does not happen in a vacuum. Political headwinds shift. Budgets are contested. Hard-won progress is sometimes threatened. But our answer remains the same, regardless of any one election or new law: we keep fighting for children, we keep building power, we keep exposing cruelty, and we keep making the case for policies that work.
We never give up on a New York where every child thrives.
Our children are everyone’s future, and the choices we make today will determine the future they inherit.
This report is a testament to what we have built together. We hope it inspires you, as it inspires us, to keep adding your block to this foundation. The structure we are building is nothing less than a New York where every child has a healthy start, a thriving family, and a supportive community.