Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Our work includes:

Protecting Children. In 1983, our research into juvenile court hearings led to a major overhaul of the state's juvenile justice system.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families' mission is to ensure that all children and their families have the resources and opportunities they need to lead healthy and productive lives and to realize their full potential. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families was founded in 1977 by a group of prominent Arkansans who believed that children needed an "independent force to provide informati

on and education to parents and citizens about our state's policies toward children and families." For more than 30 years, AACF has provided leadership, research and advocacy to promote wide-ranging reforms that have improved the lives of Arkansas children, and we have never been afraid to lead the way when the need arose. Through the years, AACF has played a major role in challenging Arkansas's juvenile justice and child welfare systems to perform better. Today we are part of several coalitions working on long-range reforms in both systems. Improving Children's Health. We led the effort to create ARKids First, which provides children's health insurance to working families. Since 1997, the rate of uninsured children in Arkansas has fallen from 21 percent to 9 percent. Now we're driving the state to cross the finish line to covering all kids by enrolling all eligible children and extending more options to families who can't afford private insurance. Fighting for Early Education and Out-of-School Opportunities. We have been a leader in the fight to make quality preschool available to at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds in the state. Beginning in 2003, AACF and others convinced the legislature to expand annual funding for pre-k by $100 million. As a result, the state can serve every at-risk 3- and 4-year-old. Now we're working expanding pre-k to more low-income children and we're leading a coalition fighting for high-quality afterschool and summer programs for children of all ages throughout the state. Promoting Economic Security. AACF is a champion for the economic well-being of Arkansas families. We have led efforts to make our tax and budget system more balanced, including recent victories of exempting most low-income families from the state income tax and closing down predatory payday lenders. Now we're working on securing a state earned income tax credit to help balance our regressive tax system. AACF will continue being a voice for Arkansas kids when it comes to these issues and others. Only when improvements are made in these areas can Arkansas's children truly realize their full potential. And until that day arrives, AACF will continue fighting on their behalf.

Tickets are LIVE for our 2026 Friends of Children Annual Luncheon! 🎟️✨ Looking back at last year’s unforgettable gatheri...
09/06/2026

Tickets are LIVE for our 2026 Friends of Children Annual Luncheon! 🎟️✨ Looking back at last year’s unforgettable gathering of advocates, friends, and community leaders makes us even more excited for this October 7. Join us at the DoubleTree Hotel in Little Rock as we honor Tonya Williams, Dr. Fitz Hill and pay a special tribute to the beloved Jo Luck. Gather with us as we celebrate the power of advocacy for Arkansas’s kids. 💙 Visit https://bit.ly/4cMd6vQ to secure your spot!

Across the country, Artificial Intelligence is being used by the federal and state governments that could have a profoun...
09/04/2026

Across the country, Artificial Intelligence is being used by the federal and state governments that could have a profound impact on people’s quality of life. From a federal attempt to pilot the use of AI in prior authorizations for Medicare patients to the state of Florida using AI to determine eligibility for SNAP, AI is being used to determine whether people receive critical health care, food assistance, and more. Join us for a webinar led by the team at TechTonic Justice to discuss different ways AI is being used or being considered for use in public benefits. They will also share recommendations on how to safeguard the wellbeing of Arkansans against harmful uses of AI. Click here to register https://bit.ly/4c3OLkU

Report finds that 37% of Arkansans don’t have enough food, and more than 400,000 Arkansans are food-secure only because ...
09/04/2026

Report finds that 37% of Arkansans don’t have enough food, and more than 400,000 Arkansans are food-secure only because they receive food assistance from programs like SNAP, WIC, and charitable food. To read the full report visit

An estimated 1.14 million Arkansans, or about 37% of state residents, don’t have enough food to meet their needs, according to a report posted Wednesday (Aug. 26) from the Arkansas...

Updates to ARHOME and SNAP are rolling out in 2026. Some adults ages 19-64 enrolled in ARHOME may be subject to a 20hr/w...
09/03/2026

Updates to ARHOME and SNAP are rolling out in 2026. Some adults ages 19-64 enrolled in ARHOME may be subject to a 20hr/week work, school, or volunteer requirement. Make sure your contact information is up to date and sign up for alerts to stay informed.

While working families in Arkansas are already struggling to access healthcare and keep up with the rising cost of livin...
09/02/2026

While working families in Arkansas are already struggling to access healthcare and keep up with the rising cost of living, state leaders insist on MORE tax cuts for the wealthy. For further details visit

August 24, 2026: In May, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the state’s fourth income tax cut in four years, continuing a march toward her stated goal of complete elimination of Arkansas’s income tax.

Join the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition for Policy Lab, a fun and educational event to help you in your advocacy for the ...
09/02/2026

Join the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition for Policy Lab, a fun and educational event to help you in your advocacy for the well-being of children and families in Arkansas. September 23 in Jonesboro. Register: https://bit.ly/4gJJYsb

Join us for Give Back Night at The Hillcrest Fountain on September 3rd! 20% of sales will be donated AND $1 off local be...
09/01/2026

Join us for Give Back Night at The Hillcrest Fountain on September 3rd! 20% of sales will be donated AND $1 off local beers on top of the normal happy hour special. See you there!

Want to advocate for change, but want to better understand the basics of key public policies first? Join the Arkansas Ki...
09/01/2026

Want to advocate for change, but want to better understand the basics of key public policies first? Join the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition for Policy Lab! Through interactive learning opportunities, gain a deeper understanding of issues like Medicaid, WIC, public school education funding and more. Sept 15 in Little Rock. Register: https://bit.ly/4sImBl7

We are looking for a part-time intern in our Springdale office who will assist marketing and events efforts. This intern...
08/30/2026

We are looking for a part-time intern in our Springdale office who will assist marketing and events efforts. This internship is an excellent opportunity to experience various aspects of event promotion while working for a well-known nonprofit organization. Learn more on our website (link in comments).

On Wednesday, several of AACF's staff spent a shift volunteering at the Arkansas Foodbank . In two hours, we helped pack...
08/29/2026

On Wednesday, several of AACF's staff spent a shift volunteering at the Arkansas Foodbank . In two hours, we helped pack 3,440 pounds of bread and bakery products: the equivalent of 2,867 meals, based on Feeding America's guidelines. Learn more about the AR Food Bank here: https://bit.ly/4x5t8bS

Address

1400 W Markham Street, Ste 306
Little Rock, AR
72201

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+15013719678

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share