WASHINGTON, D.C. — The national advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) has announced that it will honor Casey Family Programs with its prestigious Marian Wright Edelman Advocate for Joy Award during an upcoming national gala in the nation’s capital. The award recognizes the Seattle-based organization’s enduring dedication, groundbreaking policies, and impactful programs designed to improve the lives of children, youth, and families across the United States.
In November 2026, the Children’s Defense Fund will host "A National Celebration of Joy" at Washington, D.C.’s historic Howard Theatre. The gala was established specifically to honor changemakers, youth advocates, and community leaders while celebrating the vital partnerships that drive the organization’s ongoing work on behalf of children. The event will feature the presentation of the Marian Wright Edelman Advocate for Joy Award to individuals and institutions that champion progressive policies, build community power, and strengthen programs aimed at uplifting the next generation. The award carries special significance, named proudly in honor of CDF Founder and President Emerita Marian Wright Edelman, whose lifelong dedication to civil rights and child advocacy has shaped modern American social policy.
Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, President and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund, emphasized the profound importance of the honor during the announcement. The Marian Wright Edelman Advocate for Joy Award serves as CDF’s highest and most distinguished recognition, celebrating servant leaders whose advocacy, vision, and strategic partnerships have created a demonstrable, lasting difference in the everyday lives of children, young people, and vulnerable families. Dr. Wilson noted that this year carries extra meaning as the award has been officially renamed in honor of the organization’s visionary founder and president emerita.
As part of this year’s celebrations, CDF is proud to recognize Casey Family Programs as the primary institutional recipient of the award. Operating nationwide, Casey Family Programs stands as America’s largest operating foundation dedicated entirely to safely reducing the national need for foster care while continuously improving the safety, permanence, and overall well-being of children and youth.
Established six decades ago in 1966 by United Parcel Service founder Jim Casey, the organization has spent the last sixty years evolving into a cornerstone of American child welfare reform. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the organization is currently led by President and CEO William C. Bell, Ph.D. Under Dr. Bell’s strategic direction, Casey Family Programs operates nine field offices across the country and leads a dedicated staff that works hand-in-hand with youth, families, and professionals directly involved in public child welfare systems.
The upcoming gala is scheduled for Thursday, November 5, 2026, at the historic Howard Theatre, located at 620 T Street NW in Washington, D.C. The evening will commence with a formal dinner and program beginning at 7:00 p.m., bringing together national leaders, advocates, philanthropists, and community organizers to celebrate six decades of progress and ongoing commitment to American youth.
Reflecting on the organization’s legacy and its close institutional ties to the Children’s Defense Fund, Dr. Wilson praised Casey Family Programs for its visionary approach to child well-being and its decades-long collaboration with CDF. He highlighted why the foundation is a uniquely fitting recipient for the newly renamed honor, marking a historic milestone for both organizations as they look toward the future of child advocacy in America.
"It is our absolute privilege to honor Casey Family Programs as the first institutional recipient of the Marian Wright Edelman Award," Dr. Wilson stated. For sixty years, Casey Family Programs has been actively building Communities of Hope to ensure that more children are able to grow up safely in their own homes and communities. Working in all fifty states, their fundamental mission is to provide, improve, and ultimately prevent the need for foster care entirely. Casey Family Programs remains one of CDF’s most enduring and dependable institutional partners in advocacy, thought leadership, financial investment, and a shared, unwavering commitment to the well-being of children everywhere.
The partnership between the Children’s Defense Fund and Casey Family Programs underscores a shared history of fighting for systemic change, protecting civil rights, and ensuring that every child in America has the resources, safety, and opportunity they need to thrive. As the nation prepares to gather at the historic Howard Theatre this November, the celebration will not only look back at decades of shared achievements but also reaffirm a collective resolve to build a brighter, more equitable future for the nation’s youth.
