RESULTS Campaigns Weekly Update October 20, 2020

Quote of the Week

“We cannot ignore the current health crisis that is occurring. As global citizens we must act now.”

– RESULTS Pennsylvania volunteer Leaslie Alejandres in an October 13 letter to the editor in the Patriot News

Table of Contents

• Global Poverty Campaigns Update
• U.S. Poverty Campaigns Update
• RESULTS Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Global Poverty Campaigns Update

QUICK ACTION Write a letter to the editor on prioritizing global health and education during the COVID-19 crisis

Got Ten Minutes? Use the media to call for an COVID-19 emergency response bill

World Food Day was October 16 and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was October 17. But the concepts of good nutrition for all, the reduction of poverty in the world, and the like are not just concepts that we mark on specific days – these are themes we carry in our work daily. It’s not too late to use these special days as hooks for a letter to the editor as we stand frustrated by Congress’ inability to pass a COVID-19 emergency response bill. Where is the leadership? That is our question. The House passed a revised HEROES Act that included $10 billion for global health and development assistance funding just a few weeks ago but the Senate has yet to take up a relief bill and has done very little to address the crisis. The Senate must come back to the table, the White House must support global funding, and we must get a deal that focuses on the dire effects of COVID-19 in the U.S. and around the world. Will you write and submit a letter to the editor this week to keep the pressure on?

TAKE ACTION: Write and submit a letter to the editor. Let your members of Congress know that Congress must pass a COVID-19 relief bill that includes global health and development assistance. Use our online action alert to write your letter and consider putting others in action using the October Global Action Sheet. Once it’s published, take the next steps:

• Send the letter to the legislative director and foreign policy aide, along with our global media compilation of over 124 pieces of related media from around the country and a call to action.
• Send your letter to your group members and your network. Ask them to amplify it by sending it to your representative and senators with a call to action.
• Report your letter so we have a record of your great work.

QUICK NEWS ON GLOBAL POVERTY

Global Partnership for Education replenishment. Last week the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) released their case for investment for 2021-2025. During this 5-year period, GPE will need at least $5 billion to support lower income countries to transform education. This ambitious strategy puts gender equity at the center, and GPE is committed to ensuring all girls and boys can learn equally, learn early, and learn well. Read more on our blog.

Youth Leaders for Nutrition Webinar. On October 16, World Food Day, Youth Leaders for Nutrition (YL4N) held an inspiring and informative webinar to discuss efforts in scaling up nutrition globally. Check out the playback on YouTube.

U.S. Poverty Campaigns Update

QUICK ACTION Use media to push Congress to pass emergency rental assistance

Got Another Five Minutes? Public pressure is the only path to a deal

Despite the largest spike in COVID cases since the summer and unemployment still at record highs, this week saw little movement on COVID relief negotiations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin are still hoping for an agreement (she has set today as a deadline). However, even if one is reached, Senate leaders are unlikely to take it up before the election, if at all. Instead, their focus remains on the Supreme Court vacancy. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is planning a mostly symbolic vote this on another “skinny” COVID bill (which contains no money for rental assistance or SNAP) but, like previous versions, it is expected to fail.

Sadly, too many politicians seem to have forgotten that we are still living in a public health and economic emergency. The crisis is creating a housing cascade that has both short- and long-term consequences. As noted in this Bloomberg piece from August, renters in older units, the “backbone of the nation’s affordable housing supply,” were more likely to fall behind on rent. Not only does that put low-income renters at risk of eviction, the “mom and pop” landlords who own these properties cannot pay their bills because no rent is coming in. With no rent, landlords face foreclosure which then risks fewer affordable units being available for low-income renters. This is yet another example of why the inaction of lawmakers in Washington is unconscionable and why it’s long past time for them to do their jobs.

TAKE ACTION: Take five minutes to use media to tell Congress and the President to pass a $100 billion in rental assistance now as part of a new COVID-19 relief package. The ongoing negotiations and Senate vote on its “skinny” bill this week shows that your public pressure is working. Use the October U.S. Poverty Action or our updated online media alert to send your letter to the editor today. Use stories in your local papers about stimulus negotiations, COVID-19, the election, the Supreme Court, housing, or unemployment as hooks for your next letter. Remember, send your published media to your House and Senate housing aides and, if you have not sent it already, include a link to all the COVID/U.S. poverty media pieces (March 27-September 15) RESULTS have volunteers have generated.

QUICK NEWS ON U.S. POVERTY

Court stops Administration from cutting SNAP. In a victory for people experiencing hunger, a federal judge has struck down a new Trump Administration rule that would have cut SNAP benefits for nearly 700,000 Americans. Right now, workers not raising children (technically labeled “able-bodied adults without dependents” or ABAWDs) who are not working at least 20 hours per week can only receive SNAP benefits for three months out of every three years. However, states can get waivers from those rules in times of economic crisis. The new rule would have made it much harder for states to get those waivers. RESULTS had opposed the rule when it was proposed last year, and the rule has been on hold since March.

Startling new data shows wealth inequality getting worse. New wealth inequality data from the Federal Reserve shows that the 50 richest people in the U.S. own almost as much wealth as the 165 million Americans in the bottom 50 percent of the population. Along racial lines, White Americans own 83.9 percent of all wealth in the U.S. while Black Americans own merely 4.1 percent, which is the same percentage for Black Americans as it was in 1990.

Remember the renters’ credit? Others do. In 2019 and early 2020 (before COVID-19 hit), RESULTS volunteers pushed Congress to enact a refundable tax credit to help low-income renters afford the rising cost of rental housing. It is still a pillar of our long-term housing strategy. Now, according to Law 360, a renters’ credit might be on the table for tax legislation next year if Joe Biden wins the election. Mr. Biden has proposed a renters’ credit that would serve as a backstop for those who cannot get housing choice vouchers, while his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) proposed a much larger renters’ credit for everyone who qualifies for federal housing assistance.

Expanded CTC could lift millions of children out of poverty. The center-right think tank Niskanen Center has issued a new policy paper that includes a large expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Their proposal would transform the CTC into a child allowance, providing families $250-300 per month for each child. The allowance would be fully refundable (the current CTC is only partially refundable) for all low-income families and would phase out for wealthier families. They estimate this change would reduce child poverty in the U.S. by 40 percent.

Help renters get out the vote. If you want to do more to get out the vote for the November election, volunteer to call renters urging them to vote. The National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s “Our Homes, Our Votes” project is spearheading this non-partisan effort to increase voter participation among low-income renters. Learn more and sign up here.

RESULTS Announcements

Check out our new RESULTS video. Have 60 seconds? Take a look at this great new promotional video for RESULTS!

We are recruiting Regional Coordinators! We are recruiting for open Regional Coordinator positions. Please see this document for all the information on what being a Regional Coordinator entails, qualifications for the position, and the application process. Questions? Contact Lisa Marchal. Consider applying and/or sharing the information with those you feel would make great candidates!

Welcoming New Advocates. We recently held a webinar on best practices for welcoming and integrating all the fabulous new advocates coming to RESULTS. Take a listen to the webinar recording to learn great tips for rolling out the welcome mat for any new advocates coming your way. We will also repeat the Welcoming New Advocates webinar again on Tuesday, November 10 at 8:30 pm ET. Register today.

Candidate Engagement. Cook Political Report estimates there are about 100 competitive House races in the country. RESULTS had a great webinar on October 8 on engaging candidates in those races. Find the recording, laser talks for engaging candidates, and a leave behind here. Let the Grassroots Impact Team know if you need support figuring out how to engage your candidates.

Join Friday’s New Advocate Orientation. Did you know that 53 people attended last week’s New Advocate Orientation and 36 of them voiced an interest in being connected with a group? If you or someone you know are new to RESULTS, join us for our next New Advocate Orientation this Friday, October 23 at 12:00 pm ET. Interact with RESULTS staff and other new volunteers, learn more about our advocacy model and issues, and get information on getting involved. Sign up here.

Visit coronavirus blog for updates. Read the RESULTS coronavirus blog for the latest updates and actions you can take.

Receive action alerts via text. We are setting up a system to send some of our action alerts via text. If you’d like to receive text action alerts, please text RESULTS to 50457 to sign up for text action alerts.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. Members of Congress are in recess. Submit your remote meeting requests today.

Tuesday, October 20: U.S. Poverty Free Agents Webinars, 1:00 and 8:00 pm ET. For information on how to join, please contact Jos Linn.

Thursday, October 22: Presidential Debate, 9:00 pm ET.

Friday, October 23: New Advocate Orientation, 12:00 pm ET. Sign up online.

Saturday, November 7: RESULTS National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/994444828. You can also join by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID 994 444 828. If you didn’t register for September or October’s webinars, please register for the webinar to receive the login password.

Monday, November 9-Friday, November 27. Virtual Thanksgiving Feast online fundraiser. More information coming soon. Contact Mea Geizhals with any questions.

Tuesday, November 10: Welcoming New Advocates training webinar, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.

Tuesday, November 10: Putting The Righteous Mind into Practice webinar, 9:00 pm ET. Join the meeting using this link, meeting ID: 655 036 085, passcode: 641539.

Thursday, November 12: Quarterly Townhall with the Grassroots Board Members, 9:00 pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/358807054 or dial (312) 626-6799 or (929) 436-2866.

Thursday, November 26-Friday, November 27: Thanksgiving holiday break. All RESULTS offices closed.

Grassroots Resources

Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.

To update volunteer info (e.g. subscribe to the Weekly Update or action alerts, add new advocate information, update an existing advocate’s information or preferences), use our Volunteer Information Form.

Find actions and volunteer resources on our Current Volunteers page, including our anti-oppression resources.

Remember to please report your recent grassroots successes in lobby meetings, media pieces, and outreach activities.

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Lindsay Saunders at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.

RESULTS Staff directory.