History
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KIC was founded in 1985 by Santa Clara County Supervisor Dianne McKenna and Juvenile Court Judge
Len Edwards. In 1997, Kids in Common merged with The Children’s Collaborative, founded by then-Supervisor Zoe Lofgren.
Kids in Common was founded with the intention of providing a voice for the needs and concerns of children, and the Children’s Collaborative brought children’s needs together with businesses and organizations that had the resources to meet those needs. Both of these legacies are present in the work of Kids in Common today as we continue to work to improve the lives of children in Santa Clara County.
Kids in Common is:
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Santa Clara County’s only comprehensive child advocacy organization focused on children’s issues and policies.
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Partner-based, counting organizations and individuals as public policy partners.
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Focused on advocacy at the local level, informing local decision makers about best practices, policies and investments that will improve children’s lives.
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Willing to speak out about public policy, budget allocations and systems issues.
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Able to assist our partners with their own advocacy efforts.
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Able to leverage our partners’ expertise to educate lawmakers, community leaders, decision makers and funders for the betterment of children and their families.