WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), a leading national child advocacy organization, has announced that it will honor Casey Family Programs with its prestigious Marian Wright Edelman Advocate for Joy Award. The recognition will be presented during the organization’s upcoming "A National Celebration of Joy" gala, scheduled for this November at Washington, D.C.’s historic Howard Theatre.
The annual gala was established to honor prominent changemakers, dedicated youth advocates, and the vital community partnerships that drive the CDF’s ongoing mission to protect and uplift children across the United States. This year’s event holds special significance as it features the presentation of the Advocate for Joy Award, which recognizes individuals and institutions that successfully champion progressive policies, build community power, and strengthen programs designed to dramatically improve the lives of children and youth. Notably, the award bears the name of Marian Wright Edelman, the founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund, celebrating her decades-long legacy of leadership and advocacy.
Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, President and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund, emphasized the profound importance of the honor within the broader landscape of child advocacy. He noted that the Marian Wright Edelman Advocate for Joy Award serves as the organization’s highest distinction, specifically designed to celebrate servant leaders whose unwavering advocacy and collaborative partnerships have generated a demonstrable, lasting difference in the day-to-day realities of children, young people, and their families. Furthermore, Dr. Wilson highlighted that the renaming of the award in honor of Marian Wright Edelman pays fitting tribute to a foundational figure whose vision continues to guide the nationwide movement for child welfare and equity.
As a centerpiece of this year’s gala, CDF has proudly named Casey Family Programs as a primary recipient of the award. Casey Family Programs stands as the nation’s largest operating foundation dedicated explicitly to safely reducing the absolute need for foster care while simultaneously improving the overall safety, stability, and long-term well-being of vulnerable children.
The Seattle-based organization boasts a rich institutional history dating back to 1966, when it was established by United Parcel Service founder Jim Casey. Over the course of six decades, the foundation has grown into a formidable pillar of child welfare reform and practice. Today, Casey Family Programs is led by President and CEO William C. Bell, Ph.D. Under Dr. Bell’s strategic direction, the foundation oversees nine field offices across the country and guides a dedicated staff that works hand-in-hand directly with youth, families, and professionals enmeshed in the public child welfare system.
The upcoming gala is scheduled to take place on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at the historic Howard Theatre, located at 620 T Street NW in Washington, D.C. Festivities will officially commence with a formal dinner and program beginning at 7:00 p.m., bringing together national leaders, philanthropists, advocates, and youth voices to celebrate shared achievements and renew commitments to the nation’s younger generations.
Reflecting on the selection of this year’s institutional honoree, Dr. Wilson offered high praise for Casey Family Programs, pointing to the foundation’s visionary approach to child well-being and its decades-long, historic partnership with the Children’s Defense Fund. He underscored that these shared values make the organization an ideal and profoundly fitting recipient of the newly renamed award.
Expressing his appreciation during the announcement, Dr. Wilson stated that it is a distinct privilege to recognize Casey Family Programs as the inaugural institutional recipient of the Marian Wright Edelman Award. He observed that for 60 years, Casey Family Programs has been instrumental in building robust communities of hope aimed at ensuring that an increasing number of children are afforded the opportunity to grow up safely in their own homes and communities. Operating across all fifty states, the organization’s overarching mission is rooted in providing and improving essential support structures while ultimately striving to prevent the need for foster care altogether. Dr. Wilson further characterized Casey Family Programs as one of the CDF’s most enduring and reliable institutional allies, united through advocacy, thought leadership, strategic investment, and a deeply shared commitment to America’s youth.
The partnership between the Children’s Defense Fund and Casey Family Programs reflects a broader, sustained effort within the national advocacy community to address the systemic challenges facing families and children in the public welfare system. By bringing together leaders from across the country at the historic Howard Theatre, the National Celebration of Joy gala will not only celebrate past victories and institutional milestones but also set a collaborative agenda for the future of child advocacy in the United States.
