The Mayors' Action Challenge for Children and Families calls upon mayors to set at least one bold, measurable goal or target to guide local action in each of the following areas to ensure that every child has:

• Opportunities to learn and grow;
• A safe neighborhood to call home;
• A healthy lifestyle and environment; and
• A financially fit family in which to thrive.

The Challenge was unveiled on Nov. 15, 2008, at the National League of Cities' Congress of Cities and Exposition in Orlando, Florida. 97 mayors currently in office, as well as 13 mayors who are no longer in office, have joined this national initiative.

» Read about the Challenge in NLC' Nation's Cities Weekly newspaper

» View the list of mayors and their local goals
» Download the Statement of Principles
» Join the Challenge

Based on the premise that strong cities are built on a foundation of strong families, the Challenge calls on mayors to build on their track record of leadership and innovation and urges federal and state officials to join them in prioritizing investments in children and families.

Challenge Founders include:

• Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Mayor, Charleston, S.C.
• Jerry E. Abramson, Mayor, Louisville, Ky.

• Rick Baker, Mayor, St. Petersburg, Fla.

• Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor, City of New York

• Cory A. Booker, Mayor, Newark, N.J.

• David N. Cicilline, Mayor, Providence, R.I.

• Christopher B. Coleman, Mayor, St. Paul, Minn.

• Richard M. Daley, Mayor, Chicago, Ill.

• Karl Dean, Mayor, Nashville, Tenn.

• Manuel Diaz, Mayor, Miami, Fla.

• Sheila Dixon, Mayor, Baltimore, Md.

• Buddy Dyer, Mayor, Orlando, Fla.

• Adrian Fenty, Mayor, District of Columbia

• Shirley Franklin, Mayor, Atlanta, Ga.

• George K. Heartwell, Mayor, Grand Rapids, Mich.

• John Hickenlooper, Mayor, Denver, Colo.

• Melvin "Kip" Holden, Mayor-President, East Baton Rouge Parish, La.

• Otis S. Johnson, Mayor, Savannah, Ga.

• Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, Boston, Mass.

• Gavin Newsom, Mayor, San Francisco, Calif.

• Greg Nickels, Mayor, Seattle, Wash.

• Michael Nutter, Mayor, Philadelphia, Pa.

• R.T. Rybak, Mayor, Minneapolis, Minn.

• Francis G. Slay, Mayor, St. Louis, Mo.

• Kathy Taylor, Mayor, Tulsa, Okla.

• Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Mayor, Los Angeles, Calif.

» Message from the Founders