Jedd Medefind

CAFO President

Desiring to help inspire and grow this deep transformation, Jedd serves as President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Through CAFO, more than 300 respected organizations unite in shared initiatives to inspire and equip families, churches and organizations for effective service to vulnerable children and families — from adoption and US foster care, to aid and empowerment programs worldwide.

Prior to his this role, Jedd served in the White House as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, leading the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In this post, he oversaw reform efforts across the government to make community- and faith-based groups central partners in all Federal efforts to aid the needy, from prisoner reentry to global AIDS. As described by the Harvard Political Review, these reforms “fundamentally changed the government’s strategy for improving the lives of the downtrodden…”

Previously, Jedd held a range of posts in the California State Legislature. He has worked, studied and served in more than thirty countries, with organizations ranging from Price-Waterhouse in Moscow to Christian Life Bangladesh.

Jedd writes and speaks frequently about faith, human flourishing, and wise use of emerging technology. His books include Upended and Four Souls, and his appear in publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post to Comment Magazine and The Gospel Coalition. He also appears regularly on radio and podcast interviews with both faith-based and mainstream outlets, from NPR and Al Jazeera to Moody Radio. Jedd’s most recent book, Becoming Home, spotlights how families and churches can embrace vulnerable children with wisdom and love through adoption, foster care, mentoring and more.

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Latest Articles by Jedd Medefind

Four Actions to Teach Our Children in Response to Evil

Our nation is freshly torn by old wounds.  We grieve and grapple with the killing of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and others ... and with what has transpired since ......
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Small Choices Amidst the Crisis

Crises sometimes demand actions big and bold.  An Alamo stand.  A Dunkirk rescue.  A Selma march.  But just as often, it is small, easy-to-miss choices that – cumulatively – turn...
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The Hidden Gifts of Coronavirus Constraints…and How to Receive Them

In the life-altering limitations of coronavirus, there are remarkable gifts to be found.  That's nothing new for Christians, who serve a God who took on flesh and subjected himself to...
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New Tool Helps Global Child-Serving Organizations Improve Programs

A new tech-based tool will help OVC-serving organizations assess and then strengthen the quality and results of their programs worldwide.  The “Core Elements CareIndex” enables organizations to identify and analyze...
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6 Take-Aways from Bethany Christian Services’ Decision to Cease International Adoptions

After four decades helping children find families through inter-country adoption, Bethany Christian Services has announced it will stop providing this service in 2021. Major constrictions on international adoption by countries...
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Gandalf Speaks to the CAFO2020 Theme: Video Clip

In a poignant moment of the movie, The Hobbit, the elf queen Galadriel asks Gandalf why he chose such a small and thoroughly unimpressive creature as Bilbo Baggins to play...
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