U.S. Poverty Weekly Update May 29, 2018

U.S. Poverty Campaigns

Weekly Update | May 29, 2018

“Iowans should ask the congressmen to explain their rationale for supporting legislation that would have led to ending assistance for millions of Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps).”

–Des Moines Register editorial published on May 22 with help from RESULTS

Quick Media Action: Generate Media during the Recess about Protecting SNAP

Got Two Minutes? Call Local Offices about Protecting SNAP

The House Farm Bill is not dead. The first vote on this harmful bill, which would that would have taken SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) away from millions, failed 198-213 in the House on May 18. But now there is a plan to revive it. House leaders are looking to vote again on the same bill by June 22. Leaders are hoping that an immigration vote before then – which conservative members are holding out for as a condition for supporting the Farm Bill – will clear the way for passage.

The fact that this is coming down to only a few votes is a testament to the effective advocacy you have done so far in protecting families on SNAP. And you still can. Continued pressure on representatives who voted no to hold firm and those who voted yes to switch their vote can make the difference between a bad bill moving forward and forcing leaders to start over with a bill that doesn’t cut SNAP for 2 million people.

TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to call the closest House district office urging your representative to vote NO on the Farm Bill when it comes up again. Calling their district offices will get their attention (officials are used to getting these kinds of call to their DC offices; not so much at their local offices). Use our elected officials page to find the number for your local office, call the number, and leave this message:

My name is _________________ and I am a constituent from __________________. I am pleased that a majority of House members did the right thing by rejecting the recent House Farm Bill. If Congress wants to reduce poverty and get people back to work, taking food from families by cutting SNAP is the wrong way to do it. Please urge Rep. _________________ to tell House leaders that he/she will OPPOSE the House Farm Bill when it comes up for a vote again. Instead, the House should draft a bipartisan Farm Bill that ensures that everyone has enough to eat. Will you give him/her that message?

Got Ten Minutes? Your Media is Protecting SNAP – Keep It Up (May Action)

RESULTS volunteers have been on a tear this month with media about protecting SNAP. In May alone, you’ve gotten 47 media pieces published. When the House voted to reject the Farm Bill that cut SNAP earlier this month, your media played a role in it. Now with members of Congress on recess this week, we want to keep the pressure on. Send them the message that it is time to stop attacking Americans experiencing poverty. Let them know that any attempt to revive their harmful Farm Bill with its harsh cuts to SNAP is unacceptable.

TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to submit another letter to the editor (LTE) to your local paper telling your members of Congress to oppose cuts to SNAP in any new Farm Bill. Use the May Action or our updated online letter to the editor to send a letter today. Work to get letters published this week while members are back home. Urge others you know to send letters too. The more letters you get published in the next two weeks, the better chance we have to stop the House from passing their harmful Farm Bill.

Got Twenty Minutes? Set Up Meetings During This Week’s Recess

Congress is on recess this week and members are home in their districts. With another vote on the Farm Bill looming and members thinking about re-election this fall, this is an important time to talk to them. Protecting SNAP from harsh new work requirements and urging them to protect access to food assistance and health care for those who need them should be the focus of your conversations. Meetings this week is also an opportunity to deliver new #LettersGetLOUD letters, show them recent media you’ve gotten published, and invite new people you’ve engaged to join you in meetings. Remember, more and more people are looking for wats to use their voices for change – help them by inviting them to your meetings and town halls this week.

TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to set up meetings and look for town halls during this week’s recess. Meet with members of Congress or their local staff to talk about protecting SNAP in the Farm Bill. Use our Elected Officials page to find contact information for House and Senate offices and our online template to schedule your meetings. If you cannot get a face-to-face meeting, ask to meet with their local staff. Also, ask schedulers about town halls your members may be holding this week (and visit www.townhallproject.com as well). Once you get a meeting scheduled, please contact Meredith Dodson for materials and messaging strategy to make the most of your conversation, including our updated SNAP Lobby Request.

We’ll update you on the latest about SNAP on the RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar next Tuesday, June 5 at 8:00 pm ET.

Quick News

Last Week for the Spring Friends and Family Campaign. The RESULTS Spring Friends and Family Fundraising Campaign wraps up this week. If you are doing the campaign yourself or with your group, we thank you. If you have not started yet, it’s not too late. You can start your campaign even this week or participate in our next push in the fall (and of course, you can do your own online or in-person event any time during the year). Use the resources in our Campaign Guide to get started and contact Mea Geizhals, Grassroots Fundraising Manager, for any help you need. 

Meet the New Generation of Leaders at the RESULTS Conference. One of the highlights of the RESULTS International Conference the last few years has been the REAL Change Fellowship. This program has helped us attract young leaders (18-30 years old) to RESULTS to get educated, trained, and into action on our issues. As a result, some of them are now group leaders, Regional Coordinators, and even staff. Each year, the Fellowship kicks off at the Conference, where you and they get to meet each other, interact, and find ways to work together. If you are feeling cynical about the future of politics, hanging out with REAL Changers is a sure-fire cure. Take the opportunity to meet new advocates and share your expertise and experience with them by attending this year’s RESULTS International Conference. Register today! And if you want to apply for REAL Change yourself, please do so ASAP – slots are running out for our 2018-19 program.

We Still Have Scholarship Money Available. If you are an active RESULTS U.S. Poverty volunteer and want to come to the Conference but need help with the cost, please fill out our RESULTS U.S. Poverty Scholarship application.

Conference Resources Available. As we get closer to the RESULTS Conference (only 6 weeks away!), find links to resources to help you make the most of the experience on our IC Resources page. And check back frequently; we will update it many times before, during, and after the Conference.

New Welcome Series for New Advocates. RESULTS has a new process for welcoming, training, and connecting new advocates to our movement! This will give new people the chance to get to know RESULTS at their own pace, first online and then with live coaching with staff. We hope this will be a resource as you recruit new advocates locally. Continue to have conversations, do relationship building, and welcome people at the local level. If you find someone who is interested, invite them to enroll in the Welcome Series online. At the end of the series, they will be invited to sign up for an orientation (dates and times are listed on our online calendar). Note that series will be automatically triggered for new people who get entered into our database; if you have new people who are already in our database, you can send them here to sign up for the series.

New RESULTS Resources Page Makes for One-Stop Shopping. You know that frustration when you know you’ve seen something helpful on the RESULTS website, but can’t remember where you found it. We heard you. Check out our new Resources page to make it easier to help you find anything and everything you need in your advocacy work.

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.

House and Senate Recess, May 28-June 1. Submit your meeting request today. After any lobby meeting or town hall, please complete the RESULTS Lobby Report Form to let us know how it went.

RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, Tuesday, June 5 at 8:00 pm ET. Participate at http://fuze.me/32255914 or (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32255914#.

2018 RESULTS International Conference, July 14-17, 2018, Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. There is still time to register for our biggest event of the year! Watch the 2018 Conference video and share it (along with our flyer) with others you know.

Other Resources

Get Your RESULTS Promo Materials. If you need banners, pens, stickers, or business cards for your local RESULTS work, fill out our Materials Order Form and we’ll send them to you.

Got a Question for the RESULTS Board? If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund Board, please e-mail them to RESULTS Grassroots Board Member Steven McGee at [email protected]. View the most recently published Board minutes on the RESULTS website, as well as RESULTS’ most recent Annual Report.

Please Fill Out the Lobby Report Form. After any lobby meeting, please fill out the RESULTS Lobby Report Form to let us know how it went. When you have a meeting where both U.S. and global poverty issues are discussed, please fill it out twice.