U.S. Poverty Weekly Update November 8, 2016
U.S. Poverty Campaigns
Weekly Update | November 8, 2016
“The EITC makes a substantial difference for so many hardworking Americans, but it still excludes millions of low-wage workers not raising children. Let's extend it to all workers, so they too can make ends meet and have a chance at a more solid future.”
– RESULTS Expert on Poverty Pamela Covington in a November 6 letter to the editor in the Hampton Daily Press, the first of hopefully many media pieces generated from this past weekend’s Experts on Poverty media training in Washington, DC
- First Thing to Do Today – Vote!
- Next Thing to Do Today – Get Ready for Next Tuesday’s National Outreach Webinar (November Action)
- Last Thing to Do Today – Sign up for the RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast
- Upcoming Events
First Thing to Do Today – Vote!
RESULTS prides itself on working with lawmakers, media outlets, and volunteers from all different political backgrounds. The non-partisan aspect of our work allows us to build bridges with traditional and non-traditional allies alike. We also do not get into partisan electoral fights, endorsing candidates or telling people which ones to vote for.
But today is Election Day. July 4 is the day we celebrate America's independence, but Election Day is the day we celebrate being Americans. America was built on the idea of self-government and when you vote, you are strengthening and expanding that idea. This is your chance to steer the ship of state. Even if you dislike the choices at the top, there is much more on the ballot than the presidential candidates. Senate and House races, local races, ballot measures. They all are important. However, if don't vote, you not only mute your voice, you abdicate your power as a citizen of this country. When President Truman was asked what he was looking forward to after being in the White House, he allegedly said "being a sovereign again." We the People are the sovereigns and the foundation of our power is in the right to vote. Take it seriously and celebrate being an American today – go vote!
TAKE ACTION: The first thing you should do today is VOTE. If you are not sure where your polling location is, go to www.vote411.org to find out.
Next Thing to Do Today – Get Ready for Next Tuesday’s National Outreach Webinar (November Action)
Today is rightfully focused on the election. But what about after today – what then?
Next Tuesday, RESULTS is hosting a National Outreach Webinar with Dr. Maya Rockeymoore to answer that very question. What will happen with regard to poverty in 2017? How will politicians address the racial wealth gap? Will there be tax reform that includes the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)? These are just a few of the questions Dr. Rockeymoore will help us answer next Tuesday night.
But this event is more than just about election reactions. It’s about growing our movement. The end of poverty is an achievable goal, but we need more people speaking up to get us there. Using the Outreach Webinar to invite new people to learn about RESULTS is how we grow this movement. We often say that RESULTS is what you do after the election, by holding lawmakers accountable on issues that matter most. Introduce RESULT to the newest crop of volunteers who can help make that happen.
TAKE ACTION: The RESULTS National Outreach Webinar with Dr. Maya Rockeymoore is next Tuesday, November 15 at 8:00 pm. The next thing to do today is to keep working to make it a great success. The November Action has a step-by-step guide on planning a powerful local event and our Outreach Webinar page has resources to help you (flyers, sample agenda, RESULTS PowerPoints, action sheets, participation forms). Here are a few key items to make sure you do this week:
- Keep Inviting People to Come. Reach out to people you know and those you don’t and invite them to attend your local event. Make those calls, send those e-mails, post on social media – let them know what they’ll be missing if they don’t come.
- Confirm Your Agenda and Logistics. Make sure everyone in your group knows what they are doing next Tuesday night, be it speaking or running things behind the scenes. Also, please check your technical equipment for the webinar to make sure it works well next Tuesday evening. Remember, to join the webinar online, login in at: http://fuze.me/32255914; to join by phone, call (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32255914#. Finally, if you’re having food, make sure people know who is bringing what.
- Plan to Do Reminder Calls Next Monday and Tuesday. Make sure everyone in your group has their list of confirmed attendees (and “maybes”) to do reminder calls next Monday or Tuesday. Reminder calls of when and where the meeting is are essential in ensuring a good turnout.
If you have questions, need help with planning, or need additional materials (including RESULTS brochures), please contact Jos Linn for assistance ([email protected]).
Last Thing to Do Today – Sign Up for the RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast
It’s that time of year again. Starting next Monday and running for the following ten days, RESULTS will be holding its 2016 Virtual Thanksgiving Feast Friends and Family Campaign (VTF). This fundraising campaign is designed to use the Thanksgiving holiday as a way to “give thanks” for what RESULTS volunteers do and garner financial support for our ongoing work to end poverty. This year’s VTF runs from November 14-24.
TAKE ACTION: The last thing to do today is sign up for the Virtual Thankasgiving Feast. If you have questions, please contact Mea Geizhals, Grassroots Fundraising Manager to get the process started ([email protected]). Also, plan to join the VTF Kick Off Call this Thursday, November 10 at 8:30 pm ET. On the call, we’ll go over what the campaign is about, how to do it, and hear success stories from campaigns past. To participate, join online at http://fuze.me/33602082 or dial in (201) 479-4595, meeting ID: 33602082#.
Sign up for VTF and support RESULTS today!
Upcoming Events
Go to the RESULTS Events Calendar to see a full list of RESULTS events. Also, find a list of the RESULTS U.S. Poverty staff with contact information on the RESULTS website.
Upcoming staff vacations: Meredith Dodson, November 24-27; Jos Linn, November 19-27; Kristy Martino, November 24-27.
Congressional Recesses: House and Senate: Monday, October 3 – Friday, November 11. Request face-to-face meetings. After your meeting, please tell us how it went by filling out the RESULTS Lobby Report Form: www.tinyurl.com/RESLRF.
RESULTS Introductory Call, Wednesday, November 9 at 9:00 pm ET. If you want to learn more about RESULTS, register for an upcoming Intro Call on the RESULTS website.
RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Outreach Webinar, Tuesday, November 15 at 8:00 pm ET. Guest speaker: Dr. Maya Rockeymoore. Join online at http://fuze.me/32255914 or by phone at (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32255914#. Listen to previous webinars on our National Webinars page.
RESULTS U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, Thursday, November 17 at 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET (note different date). To participate, login in at http://fuze.me/32256018 or dial by phone at (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32256018#.
RESULTS Joint U.S. and Global Poverty National Webinar, Saturday, December 10 at 2:00 pm ET. Listen to previous webinars on our National Webinars page.
RESULTS International Conference, Saturday, July 22 – Tuesday, July 25, 2017. Washington Court Hotel, Washington, DC. More details soon.
If you have a question, comment or suggestion for the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund Board, please e-mail them to RESULTS Grassroots Board Member Vanessa Garcia at [email protected]. You can download RESULTS’ most recent Annual Report at: https://results.org/about/annual_report/.