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

Announcing … The CAFO’s 2020 Theme!

[pullquote]What are the most consequential decisions we make?  What choices most shape the people we’ll become and the impact we’ll leave?[/pullquote] Years ago, I struggled mightily as I neared the...
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Foster and Adopted Children Eligible for Help from Social Security

The US Social Security Administration (SSA) wants parents to understand that foster youth in their care -- and, in limited situations, adopted children -- may be eligible for help from...
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Our Favorite Music Video of the Year

For Orphan Sunday and Stand Sunday, CAFO partnered with the duo Morgan Still -- Jamie Grace and her old sister Morgan Harper Nichols -- to produce a video celebrating what...
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Family Preservation Versus Child Protection?  Gripping Polar Truths

In the past two weeks alone, and in at least a dozen separate contexts, I’ve listened to leaders…heard friends…read emails…reviewed articles…all expressing deeply-felt convictions on seemingly opposite sides of a...
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US Department of State 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report

Strong empirical and anecdotal evidence reveals that human traffickers view children that lack families as the ideal target.  The 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report from the US Department of State offers...
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What a Jewish Child Welfare Expert Sees in Christian Foster Care

The national Faith Angle Forum podcast this week features Naomi Schaefer Riley – an expert on the US foster system who also happens to be Jewish – reflecting on the...
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