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

Short Term Missions and Vulnerable Children: New Guidance from the Christian Alliance for Orphans

Like many things today, opinions on the topic of short-term missions can be fierce. Advocates for short-term missions view the blend of travel-and-service as transformative, both for those who go...
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4 Take-Aways from an Ugly Story

The Times of London recently released an article I’d consider essential reading for any person desiring to engage deep needs in our world’s most broken places. “How the Global Aid...
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What Matters Most? A CAFO2018 Manifesto

The great blessing of our era is also its great curse: boundless choices. Manifesto?  Sounds grandiose, and we're not much for that here.  But the depth of the problem calls...
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Research Finds Significant Adoption & Foster Care Engagement in US Churches

Lifeway Research last week released findings of new research on American churches with the headline, “Adoption, Foster Care Commonplace in Churches.” The research found that about 4 in 10 Protestant...
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Eight Major Trends in the Christian Orphan Care Movement 2017

When it comes to issues affecting vulnerable children, 2017 was anything but static. Strong currents left a mark on adoption, foster care and global orphan care – both within the...
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New York Times Op-Ed on Adoption

The New York Times this weekend ran a compelling op-ed, Let’s Restart the Adoption Movement. It reminds of a simple truth often overlooked in policy debates or conversations about trauma: ...
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