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Step Up and Act for Children, October 2010

Date of Event: 
Sat, 10/09/2010 - 13:30

Children, parents, advocates and concerned citizens joined Action for Children, the N.C. Pediatric Society, the Covenant with North Carolina's Children and N.C. MomsRising at the old Capitol building downtown to STEP UP and ACT FOR CHILDREN on Sunday, October 10, 2010. Participants in the third annual Step Up event called attention to the needs of children and asked lawmakers and candidates for office to STEP UP by investing in children at the federal and state levels.

Children held up hand-colored signs highlighting the needs of children in North Carolina. A short press conference was followed by a children's march around the Capitol building. Lots of news cameras and reporters were in attendance.

Speakers included:

  • David Tayloe, Jr, MD, a Goldsboro pediatrician and immediate past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics
  • Jaqwon Dancy, a youth who was involved in the adult criminal justice system for a minor offense as a 16 year old
  • Beth Messersmith, a Durham mother of two who is a member of N.C. MomsRising
  • The Reverend Lorraine Ljunggren, Rector at St. Marks Episcopal Church

AND, Action for Children has mailed out 400 letters signed by Step Up attendees to 55 state and federal candidates and lawmakers!

Thanks to EVERYONE who participated! Please check out the videos and photos below!

Event Photos

Participants with the "Build Our Future" block tower, built by MomsRising volunteers.

Children's march around the old Capitol building.

Participants march around the old Capitol building with Step Up signs and signs highlighting the needs of North Carolina's children.

Beth Messersmith, Durham mother of two and member of N.C. MomsRising, spoke on the importance of investing in children during these difficult economic times.

Jaqwon Dancy, a youth who was involved with the adult criminal justice system after a minor offense at age 16, told his story. North Carolina is one of only two states that still treat all 16- and 17-year-old youth as adults in the criminal justice system.

Dr. David Tayloe, Jr., pediatrician and immediate past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (and an Action for Children board member), addressed the importance of investing in children's health.

Children from Umstead Park United Church of Christ, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, MomsRising and more highlights the needs of North Carolina's children.

Mack shows his Step Up t-shirt, his Action for Children coin bank and a big smile.

Children color signs to use in the demonstration. Signs highlight statistics about child well-being in North Carolina, such as: "1 in 5 children lives in poverty," "2 in 3 fourth graders are not proficient in reading," and "3 in 10 students will not graduate with their class."

Brandy Bynum of Action for Children and Jim Fryling of the Redwoods Group (and an Action for Children board member) hand out t-shirts to the crowd.

Brandy Bynum of Action for Children and Jim Fryling of the Redwoods Group (and an Action for Children board member) hand out t-shirts to the crowd.

Mandy Ableidinger of Action for Children is interviewed by NBC-17.

Cool Action for Children coin banks for the little ones. It's never too early for financial education!

Grace colors some Invest in Children signs.

MomsRising members and other volunteers start to build a block tower in front of the old Capitol building.

Step Up T-shirts from Every Child Matters and snacks and water donated by the Junior Women's Club of Raleigh await the children!

Step Up and Act for Children 2010 gets underway.

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