Our History

Child-Friendly Initiative was founded by Michele Mason, educator, lactation specialist and mother of three. For over a decade, Michele has helped people become more confident, skillful and compassionate parents through support groups, workshops, classes and individual consultations. Together with a group of child development experts, parents and children, Mason created Child-Friendly Initiative to raise awareness about children's unique needs and to promote a world that honors and welcomes them.

We began as a small group of mothers, meeting together in the back of a neighborhood parenting support center. Babes in arms and toddlers running among us, we shared our successful child-friendly experiences, and began to dream of a cultural shift towards a society that truly honors and respects children. Our goal was to envision a path to take us there.

Various members of the original group brought the gift of their skills to the table. Elizabeth Butler conceived of the CFI logo idea, and Kendal Cronkhite designed it. Alex and Michael Shur, of Winged Heels Media, donated the original Web site — and suddenly CFI was a national—and international—entity. Calls and e-mail began to pour in from all over the world. It was clear we needed to develop a set of criteria for what it means to be child-friendly and a program to help people create child-friendly spaces.

Michele, Elisse Gabriel, Julie Thompson and Abby Letteri wrote the first iteration of our How-To Kit for businesses. Julie also got to work on some proposals to potential corporate sponsors. Kristen Caven designed many of our new printed materials. Alex Shur and Abby Letteri created the first issue of Playground, which was mailed to the nearly 100 members we had by that time. Peggy O’Mara and Mothering magazine donated a small display ad — and the phones began to ring off the hook.

CFI hosted its first “Forum,” a community gathering of parents, business leaders, educators and others in San Francisco in October, 1999. Wendy Ponte, in New York, and Emily Hess Ankerson, in Burlington, VT, started the first CFI chapters outside the Bay Area. Within the year, CFI hosted a second Forum, in New York City, with Meredith Small as keynote speaker. Soon, Michele Shalles started a chapter in Great Barrington, MA, single-handedly certifying a number of prominent businesses in the area.

CFI was off and running.  Then Kristin Henry stepped in—a local mother and web expert. Kristin, and her colleague Mike Walth, agreed to design and build a database that could grow with our vision and implement the on-line list of child-friendly places who receive the Child-Friendly Seal of Approval.

During the spring of 2001, a group of four founding CFI members met with an experienced non-profit development consultant. Ann Vermel generously donated her time and expertise to help focus our mission, programs and goals. The result of those meetings comes in the form of new vision and mission statements for CFI, and refinements to our existing programs.

In 2005, Kristen Caven stepped up to the directorship and in 2007 passed the leadership torch to Jackie Naginey Hook who continues the work of this beloved organization and its very important work.

CFI is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We welcome membership by individuals, businesses and other organizations. All membership dues and donations are fully tax deductible.