RESULTS Weekly Update June 18, 2024
Quote of the Week
“Vaccines lead the pack in cost-effective interventions that can save lives and prevent illness.”
– RESULTS Austin volunteer Mark Coats in a June 9 letter to the editor in the Austin American-Statesman
Table of Contents
- Just days until initial meeting on Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
- Welcome summer with a local get-together
- This is the last week to vote in Grassroots Board election
- Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
- Announcements
- Upcoming Events
- Grassroots Resources
Just days until initial meeting on Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Exciting news we hope you’ve heard: The House has now joined the Senate in introducing a bipartisan resolution supporting Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance! Both resolutions are open for co-sponsors and need support now. The Senate version is S.Res. 684, and the House version is H.Res.1286. Co-sponsors can galvanize political will on this issue and put positive pressure on the Administration as we approach an initial meeting of world leaders in France on June 20 to discuss the fall Gavi replenishment. RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter will be in attendance.
Since its inception, Gavi has helped vaccinate 1 billion children, saving over 17 million lives with a focus on marginalized areas of the world. Yet last year almost 5 million children still died before their fifth birthday. We are working so that the U.S. makes a $1.4 billion pledge over four years at the upcoming replenishment conference. The U.S. needs to lead on this issue; now is the time to act. Co-sponsors on this pair of resolutions – plus published media – will make a key difference. Can you ask your senator(s) and representative to co-sponsor the new resolutions in each chamber? Can we get 100 Gavi-focused letters to the editor published by the end of June?
TAKE ACTION: Ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Senate and House Gavi resolutions. Contact foreign policy aides directly or use our online action to urge your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Gavi resolutions as soon as possible. Once that’s done, please submit a Gavi letter to the editor to continue that positive pressure!
Welcome summer with a local get-together
Summer begins this Thursday. A season filled with outdoor activities, family gatherings, vacations, sports, and more. It is a wonderful time to enjoy being out of the house.
And RESULTS is getting in the summer mood as well by encouraging volunteers to get together in-person. Gathering face-to-face is a staple of RESULTS’ organizing model. Why? Because that’s how you build relationships. We are closest to whom we are regularly in proximity. Proximity = relationship = trust. We are using this summer “get-together” campaign as a way to get back to our roots; to make up for ground lost due to the pandemic.
The formula is simple: plan when and where, invite people, meet and take action, go home. Easy, peasy. Do what your group enjoys. Perhaps meet at local restaurant or coffee shop, table at a farmer’s market, host a potluck dessert party, meet in the backyard over s’mores. Anything you want. The point is to meet. Then after people have fun, hopefully they’ll want to do it again. And again. So, let’s meet up!
TAKE ACTION: Work with your group to plan when and where your local RESULTS group will meet in person this summer. We urge each RESULTS group to do something by the end of August. We have resources to help you plan, help you invite people, help you advertise, help you take action and more! Be sure to invite everyone from your group to attend as well as new people who want to learn more. Remember, please bring copies of our Summer Action Sheet with the postcards RESULTS sent you; it explains how to fill out the postcards. If you have questions, please contact Joanna DiStefano.
This is the last week to vote in the Grassroots Board election
Don’t miss your chance to vote in the Grassroots Board election! One remarkable opportunity you have is a voice on our governing board. Not every non-profit guarantees a role for their volunteers on their boards, but RESULTS has that enshrined in its bylaws. The RESULTS grassroots advocates are represented on the RESULTS/REF Boards of Directors by four active volunteers elected by you, the volunteers. We have one open seat this year, to join Aaron Carrillo, Allison Gallaher, and Lynne Patalano. Help us choose the next Board member. Information about our two fabulous candidates, Elizabeth Brown and Kasapo Chibwe, can be found in their statements, candidate forum appearance, and the June National Webinar (at the 1:05:30 mark).
TAKE ACTION: As with all of our work, we are stronger when we all participate. Vote for one of the candidates at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GRD2024. Voting ends this Saturday night, June 22 at midnight!
Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
Sign your group onto letter protecting SNAP. We urge you to sign your Local RESULTS group onto this joint letter to Congress urging that any Farm Bill must – at its core – ensure that SNAP is protected and strengthened. Additionally, we will oppose any Farm Bill which proposes cuts to SNAP including restricting future Thrifty Food Plan benefit adjustments, which would result in $30 billion in cuts. Your group can sign the letter using this form (sign as “RESULTS Topeka” or “RESULTS Greater Connecticut”). Organizers want 1,000 signers, so sign you group on today.
A promising first step on FY25 appropriations. Last week, the House of Representatives took the first step in the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) appropriations process on our global poverty priorities. The full House appropriations committee has passed their State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) bill, which contains our priority issues. Read how it went in our new RESULTS Blog post.
Announcements
Triple your impact with a gift to RESULTS this spring! RESULTS is urgently working to raise $350,000. Why? We want to amplify our work on behalf of the estimated 350 million children worldwide who face undernutrition. Thanks to a generous challenge match, your donation to RESULTS will be TRIPLED until we reach our goal! This includes all donations to Friends & Family fundraisers. If you or your group has been thinking about doing a fundraiser, this is a great time to do it! If you have questions or need support, contact Director of Development Melissa Strobel. Make your special tax-deductible gift to RESULTS today.
2025 RESULTS Fellowship application is now open. The RESULTS Fellowship has become one of the most powerful programs at RESULTS. Many current leaders in RESULTS started out as Fellows. We are now accepting applications for the 2025 Fellowship class. If you know someone who would make a great Fellow, please urge them to apply today.
Let us know how your outreach events go. We are happy to announce that we have a new Outreach Reporting Form. It is more streamlined and easier to use. Whenever you have an outreach event, be it one of this summer’s in-person gatherings, a fundraiser, an outreach event, or even a one-on-one conversation, please let us know how it went. Tracking these events helps keep track of what our volunteers are doing and provide post-event support (also, donors love it!). If you have questions or need additional support, please contact Karyne Bury ([email protected]) or Joanna DiStefano ([email protected]).
Join media office hour on Thursday. If you need help drafting, editing, or submitting a letter to the editor or op-ed, please join our Media Office Hour this Thursday, June 20, 2:00-3:00 pm ET (a day later this month due to the Juneteenth holiday). Come any time that hour with your questions. Join via Zoom at: https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID: 936 6800 5494.
Learn from Brad Fitch on the July National Webinar. Join us for the July National Webinar on Saturday, July 13 at 1:00 p.m. (a week later than normal). Our guest will be Brad Fitch of the Congressional Management Foundation sharing CMF’s invaluable research on building relationships with members of Congress. CMF are experts on the best ways to advocate with members of Congress. Register today.
Please submit your lobby reports. If you have not yet reported a lobby meeting in 2024, please complete the RESULTS Lobby Report Form.
RESULTS office closed tomorrow. Just a reminder that RESULTS will be closed on June 19 in observance of the Juneteenth national holiday.
Upcoming Events
Congressional schedule: This week, the Senate is in session and the House is on recess.
Find these and other events on our website Events Calendar.
Tuesday, June 18: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET. Contact Jos Linn for more information.
Tuesday, June 18: New Advocate Orientation, 1:00 p.m. ET. Register today.
Tuesday, June 18: Together Women Rise advocacy chapter webinar, 8:30 p.m. ET. Learn more about this opportunity.
Wednesday, June 19: Juneteenth holiday. RESULTS office closed.
Thursday, June 20: Media Office Hour, 2:00 p.m. ET. Join via Zoom at https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or call 312-626-6799 (Meeting ID: 936 6800 5494). No registration required.
Monday, June 24: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 p.m. ET. Contact Lisa Marchal for more information.
Wednesday, June 26: Action Network Manager Calls, 12:30 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET. No registration required. Join via https://results.zoom.us/j/95416781155 or dial (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 954 1678 1155.
Thursday July 4: Independence Day. RESULTS office closed July 4 and 5.
Thursday, July 11: Outreach and Event Planning Office Hour, 2:00 p.m. ET. Drop in at https://results.zoom.us/j/94004748060, meeting ID 940 0474 8060.
Thursday, July 11: Global Allies Program (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers), 8:30 p.m. ET. Learn more.
Saturday, July 13: National Webinar, 1:00 p.m. ET. Guest: Brad Fitch, President and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation. Register for the webinar.
Typically, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.
Grassroots Resources
- EOPs: Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
- Actions and volunteer resources: Visit our Volunteers Hub, including our anti-oppression resources. To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected].
- Please report your actions. Remember to please report your recent advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities. Also, use our form to add to/edit your info and to sign up for updates and alerts.
- Share your story. If you have an inspiring story about advocacy, please tell us about it. Also, if you want to celebrate the actions of a new volunteer, sharing about the experience.
- Questions for the Board? If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.
- Staff and jobs: RESULTS Staff directory and job postings.