RESULTS Weekly Update March 8, 2022

Quote of the Week

“If people truly want to end a need for masking, I think they should consider what would end the procession of deadly variants. Getting the world to a 70% vaccination rate…’’

– RESULTS St. Louis volunteer Cindy Changyit Levin in a February 25 letter to the editor in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Table of Contents

• Congress must approve emergency global COVID-19 vaccine funding
• Use media to push for new investments for housing stability and child poverty
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Congress must approve emergency global COVID-19 vaccine funding

Even now, many people living in low-income countries are still at risk as we move into this new phrase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite what’s being experienced in other parts of the world, vaccination rates across Africa hover between 10-20 percent due to lack of access and lack of vaccine delivery resources. There is bipartisan support in Congress for appropriating additional global COVID-19 relief funding, and the Biden Administration has finally sent a formal request for supplemental resources, but it’s not at the minimum $17 billion level needed. Far too many people around the world do not have access to COVID-19 vaccines while also suffering from food insecurity or other secondary impacts as a result of disruptions from the ongoing pandemic.

TAKE ACTION: In the next three days, please contact your members of Congress and ask them to speak to leadership about the need for global funding to fight COVID-19. Ask them, “Will you reach out to leadership and Appropriations chairs to let them know that you support at least $17 billion for global COVID-19 vaccine delivery to ensure that everyone is able to access a vaccine, just as we have been here in the United States?” You can use this online alert to take action immediately and enlist fellow advocates to do the same. Remember that this is a time-sensitive action, as Congress is seeking to finalize fiscal year 2022 spending decisions by the March 11 expiration date of the current government funding.

Use media to push for new investments for housing stability and child poverty

During his State of the Union speech last week, President Biden said, “so many families are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to keep up with the rising cost of food, gas, housing, and so much more.” He then called on Congress to address these issues by taking action on his plan, including creating more affordable housing and extending the new Child Tax Credit.

On both these points, we could not agree more.

The problem with addressing child poverty and housing instability is not the cost (we know how to pay for it) or how to do it (we know how), it is the political will to get it done. Right now, 52 senators are standing in the way of making big investments to address America’s housing crisis and to reduce child poverty. Convincing two of them to change their minds is the task before us.*

Getting letters to the editor published asking your members of Congress to extend the CTC and EITC and expand federal rental assistance is a powerful way to build political will. To go from stalemate to success. Not only does it put the issue in front of the public, but it also shows your members of Congress the power you have to shape the public opinion in your community (something you will definitely remind them of in upcoming lobby meetings).

And remember, the point is to get their attention. So, mention them by name in your letters. If they support extending the tax credits and/or expanding rental assistance, thank them and urge them to do more. If they oppose these policies, ask why they are standing in the way. And if they are uncommitted, tell them to get off the fence. Politicians respond to pressure – if there is enough of it, they will act. Be that pressure.

TAKE ACTION: Get letters to the editor published this week urging your members of Congress to support housing stability and reducing child poverty. The March 2022 U.S. Poverty Action has background and resources to help you, including draft letters to the editor on the CTC and rental assistance (you can also use our updated tax and housing media alerts to submit letters online). Here are some media hooks to help with letters:

• State of the Union. President Biden called Congress to act on the CTC and housing in his State of the Union speech last week. It’s time our members of Congress followed his lead.
• Data shows pandemic response kept millions from poverty. As families struggle with higher costs from inflation, this is not the time to abandon them. A new paper from CBPP shows that government intervention during the pandemic kept 8 million people from poverty in 2020. Now is the time to build on these proven policies.
• CTC did not prompt people to quit their jobs. Some have argued that an expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) with no work requirement would incentivize people to quit their jobs and stay home. A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that’s not true.

*If budget reconciliation is used to pass these policies, which only requires 51 votes (in a 50-50 tie, the Vice President breaks the tie).

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Media hooks of the week. To help you in your media advocacy, here are suggested media “hooks” this week to use in letters to the editor:

• U.S. Poverty: (In addition to the hooks above) Gas prices are higher now than in the past 15 years. Oil companies are putting profits before people, so Congress needs to step in to help families make ends meet. Extend the 2021 Child Tax Credit and resume the CTC monthly payments immediately!
• Global Poverty: This week, we all hit a tragic milestone – at least 6 million people around the world have now died from COVID-19. If we want to be prepared for the next pandemic, while also continuing to fight diseases that kill millions each year, the U.S. needs to commit at least $6 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria.

Global Fund media advocacy for World TB Day. Thanks in part to your tremendous work, 137 House members from both parties signed onto the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria support letter to the Biden Administration. You can find a copy of the signed letter and thank your representative if they signed. Now, we keep cultivating our members of Congress to ensure the U.S. makes a bold pledge and that Congress appropriates the funding needed. Use our online action to write a letter to the editor in advance of World TB Day on March 24. You can also use our new March Action Sheet to empower your fellow advocates to write. Action Sheets make great centerpieces for a local RESULTS meeting agenda!

Announcements

Listen to the March National Webinar. If you missed Saturday’s RESULS National Webinar, we strongly urge you to listen to it. Michelle Dallafior from First Focus spoke to us first about the importance of federal tax and housing policy in reducing child poverty. Linda Mafu then joined us to tell us why a strong replenishment of the Global Fund is critical this year. Finally, in a heartfelt and touching tribute, volunteers and staff reflected on the life of La’Shon Marshall, RESULTS Expert on Poverty. La’Shon, her 5-year-old son Caleb and boyfriend Aaron died tragically last month. While she had only been involved with RESULTS a few years, La’Shon made an amazing impact on RESULTS and the people she met here. We miss her dearly. To learn more about La’Shon, share your own thoughts about her, and how you can help her family, go to the RESULTS website.

Register for tomorrow’s Diversity and Inclusion 101 training. As part of our work to dismantle systems of oppression, we have a goal of having all RESULTS volunteers attend our “Diversity and Inclusion 101” training in 2022. The next open session is Wednesday, March 9 at 11:00 am ET, with additional offerings over the next few months. Seating is limited for each session so register for upcoming session today. If you’re unable to attend a session you registered for, please cancel your registration to allow others to participate (see instructions in your confirmation e-mail).

Register for next week’s Monthly Policy Forums. On our U.S. Policy Forum, RESULTS Senior Policy Associate Michael Santos will provide broader context of the ongoing housing crisis and new ways to talk to your members of Congress about the urgent need to address it. The U.S. Forum is Thursday, March 17 at 8:00 pm ET. Register for it here. On the Global Policy Forum, Dr. Madhu Pai will speak about the toll COVID-19 has taken on TB and how combatting TB is a social justice issue that we must address with ambition. We’ll connect Dr. Pai’s remarks to our work on TB and Global Fund appropriations and the Global Fund replenishment. The Global Forum is Thursday, March 17 at 9:00 pm ET. Register for it here.

Grassroots Anti-Oppression Working Group rescheduled for March 29. Join us for the next open forum of the RESULTS Grassroots Anti-Oppression (AO) Working Group taking place on Tuesday, March 29 at 8:30 pm ET. In this open forum, volunteers and staff work together to advance RESULTS’ anti-oppression values, create, and share opportunities for ongoing learning. Have questions or want to get involved? Register here.

Learn the basics of hosting a hybrid meeting. As groups start to meet in person in the coming months, hybrid meetings (a combination of online and in-person participation) are likely to become more common. Learn tips for hosting such these types of meetings from the “running hybrid meetings” training we held last fall.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are in session this week.

Unless otherwise noted, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

Wednesday, March 9: Diversity and Inclusion 10 – Implicit Bias, Microaggressions and Understanding of Systemic Racism and Oppression, 11:00 am ET. Register here.

Thursday, March 10: Global Allies – Ending Poverty with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET.  Monthly webinar for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Register here.

Tuesday, March 15: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET (new time). If you are interested in joining, contact Jos Linn for more information.

Tuesday, March 15: Together Women Rise Webinar, 8:30 pm ET. Learn more on how to get involved with the Rise advocacy chapter. For questions, please contact Karyne Bury.

Wednesday, March 16: Action Network Webinars, 12:30 pm ET and 8:00 pm ET. Register for the afternoon session or evening session. (In 2022, Action Network webinars will take place every other month.)

Thursday, March 17: U.S. Poverty Monthly Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Speaker: Michael Santos of RESULTS will talk about housing. Register here.

Thursday, March 17: Global Poverty Monthly Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Speaker: Dr Madhu Pai will talk about tuberculosis. Register here.

Wednesday, March 23: Getting “Unstuck” with Your Members of Congress using Motivational Interviewing Techniques, 9:00 pm ET. Register here.

Thursday, March 24: Diversity and Inclusion 10 – Implicit Bias, Microaggressions and Understanding of Systemic Racism and Oppression, 8:30 pm ET. Register here.

Monday, March 28: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, contact Lisa Marchal for more information.

Tuesday, March 29: Grassroots Anti-Oppression Working Group (rescheduled), 8:30 pm ET. Open forum. Register here.

Saturday, April 2: National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Register here.

Saturday, June 4-Sunday, June 5. RESULTS International Conference. Keynote speaker: Jelani Cobb of The New Yorker. More information soon on this virtual event.

Grassroots Resources

Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.

Find actions and volunteer resources on our Volunteers Hub, including our anti-oppression resources. To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected].

Remember to please report your recent advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities. Also, use our Volunteer Information Form to add or edit volunteer info and to sign up for updates and alerts.

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 and job postings.