Report from Executive Director Jennifer Meeropol: June 19, 2025

I'm not sure why, of all the terrible news stories lately, this is the one that stopped me in my tracks and left me in tears at my computer one afternoon last month. The government leaked the address of the family of a man they disappeared (they say mistakenly) to a Salvadoran prison known for its human rights abuses and horrific conditions. The threats and harassment the family immediately faced resulted in supporters moving them to a safe house. Something about the casual cruelty of that action felt like a breaking point to me. Perhaps it was how chillingly reminiscent it was of the harassment my father and uncle experienced when they were children and their parents, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, were targeted.

I’m sure the alarming updates we’ve been receiving all spring from beneficiary families also contributed to my response. Too many of our grantees are experiencing the personal impacts of attacks on activists, scientists, immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community (especially trans children) and so many others. Whether it is the long-time activist mom who shared, “I work with primarily immigrant families and the current targeting of Black women as well as the Latinx community has left our community in a chronic state of fear and uncertainty"; or the dad who explained why he was not reachable for a period of time: “We were contacted...and informed of a plot against my life. We had to flee temporarily to a shelter in an undisclosed location... After returning to our home, [my child] is still very... scared for me, and angry about what has happened.” This is a scary, overwhelming time to be standing with children whose parents have been targeted for their progressive activism.

As we mark the RFC’s 35th anniversary later this fall, our work feels more relevant and vital than ever before. This spring the RFC awarded over $220,000 in grants to provide critical assistance for hundreds of children of targeted activists, bringing the total granted in our history to over $9.5 million! While I hope you share my pride in that achievement, the stories behind this enormous number temper my sense of accomplishment and bring more sorrow than joy. Too many of the family applications we’ve received recently include details about years of struggle, justice deferred or denied and so many children whose lives have been upended by the attacks against their parents. Here are a couple examples of recent grants and the real people behind the applications:

• Payton has grown up under surveillance her entire life. Her father has been a prominent environmental activist for decades and has endured FBI raids, threats of incarceration, grand jury subpoenas, vandalism, mail monitoring, and the family’s small business was branded a “terrorist front” by the FBI. Payton has been homeschooled her entire life as her family traveled together to organize and share activist resources. Now that she is 15, a grant from the RFC will help her attend a safe and supportive high school.

• When Colin was two years old, he watched as his dad was arrested and taken away. Colin’s dad, an antifascist organizer, was sentenced to several years in prison for throwing a chair to protect himself from armed white supremacists who faced no charges. Now, Colin is growing up while his dad remains behind bars and endures prison labor as an unpaid incarcerated firefighter. RFC grants help 3 year-old Colin receive the childcare and daycare services he needs while his mom raises him alone.

With your help, the RFC is making a significant difference in the lives of these young people and hundreds of others like them. Since 1990 our grants have funded therapy, sports, arts programs, summer camp, prison visits, and other educational and therapeutic opportunities vital to helping these kids not just survive, but thrive. Your donations support the children of those fighting for a more just immigration system, brutalized anti-racist activists, fired teachers, harassed journalists, targeted union organizers, environmentalists behind bars and so many more.

The Rosenberg Fund for Children makes grants that help alleviate the nightmarish experiences of political repression by connecting kids to a nurturing community. Times are hard and finances remain tight, but I bet you can think of few things more worthy of your support than bringing solace to these kids. This is your opportunity to embrace all of these children and assure them that we are with them for the long haul.

You know we will use your precious funds carefully. The RFC has been helping kids and youth like these efficiently and effectively for almost 35 years. 90% of every dollar you contribute in response to this letter will be awarded to children like those described above.

One beneficiary dad, a second generation activist battling PTSD and anxiety due to the targeting he and his family experienced, recently shared, “[Our children] are growing up in an environment that emphasizes courage and compassion. They are learning the importance of family unity and emotional strength as they witness their parent’s perseverance... While the targeting of their parent has brought obstacles, it has also instilled in the children a profound sense of determination, unity, and a deeper understanding of the importance of justice. They are growing into strong, compassionate individuals who recognize the power of resilience and advocacy." In the midst of dark times, these children and families are a source of light and hope for the future.

Please consider making a special donation to support the RFC’s vital work in honor of all of our beneficiaries’ families’ commitment to a better world; in the hopes that we can collectively push back against the fear and isolation so many of us are experiencing; and to help ensure that no child stands alone when their parents fight for justice despite attacks. I know you will be most generous.

Jennifer Meeropol, Executive Director