For a Good Cause: Cartoon Video News for Kids Newsathon: 1400 Stories and Counting

Little News Ears (LNE), a cartoon video news website for children, has partnered with The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) to celebrate one year of cartoon video news for kids and help raise $100,000 for culturally responsive books for deserving children. To commemorate over 1,400 news items for children and to raise money for The Children's Defense Fund, Daniel Buck, the founder of the LNE website, will offer a tongue-and-cheek 'oral history' of every news item on the Little News Ears website beginning Friday night (3/26) live on Instagram. Buck will read every news item from the website over several days while traveling from Newark to Los Angeles. Buck will read items as often as he can throughout the entire journey--including the plane--and while in quarantine in Los Angeles. Guest stars will include Michelle Voice, Timmy Ong, and David Beach, who are voice talents for the website. Viewers will have the opportunity to contribute to The Children's Defense Fund as they watch the marathon-style show.

Little News Ears, a subscription-based website for parents, teachers, and children with limited free access, bills itself as the only cartoon video news website for children ages 2 and up. Aside from being a member of the Kids Listen podcast network, a nonprofit group of podcasters, parents, and teachers who advocate high-quality podcast content for kids, Little News Ears publishes three cartoon video episodes, on average, per week. Buck, who works as a Deputy Head of School at Tessa International School in Hoboken, New Jersey, curates all episodes and provides voices for three characters on the website. Prominent journalists and scientists have recently tweeted praise about Little News Ears, including New York Times journalist Lara Jakes and CNN journalist Stephanie Busari.

The Children's Defense Fund has worked relentlessly for nearly 50 years to advocate for policies and programs that improve the well-being of all children, especially those most vulnerable due to poverty, racial inequalities and lack to access to basic services. www.childrensdefense.org

Little News Ears anniversary / Children's Defense drive begins on Friday (3/26) at 8 pm eastern on Instagram (@littlenewsears).