U.S. Poverty Weekly Update February 5, 2019

Quote of the Week

“It is long past time for Congress and the Administration to pass full-year spending bills that ensure affordable housing and community development programs have the funding they need to continue to serve the American people.”

–  National housing sign-on letter to be submitted to President Trump and congressional leaders this week

Got Two Minutes (and then 58 more)? Join Tonight’s National Webinar on Housing and Racial Wealth Inequality with NETWORK Lobby’s Tralonne Shorter

Please join the RESULTS February 2019 U.S. Poverty National Webinar tonight (Tuesday), February 5 at 8:00 pm ET. With Congress back in session and starting work on their 2019 agenda, we are excited to welcome Tralonne Shorter, Senior Government Relations Advocate at NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice (the “Nuns on the Bus”). Tralonne is has more than 20 years of advocacy and policy experience and will talk with us about the intersection of housing and the racial wealth inequality. We’ll also discuss about making the most of the upcoming congressional recess. We’ll have some grassroots shares on the webinar, including, in the wake of 2019 planning, the opportunity for you to share what you’re excited to do in your RESULTS work this year.

TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to join the RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar tonight, February 5 at 8:00 pm ET. Then stick around for the rest of the webinar. Join online at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial in by phone at either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801). If you login online, please list both your first and last names when prompted. Be sure to remind your groups of the webinar. The slides for the webinar will be available later today on our new National Webinars page. If you have questions, please contact Jos Linn.

Got Ten Minutes? Kick Those Lobby Meeting Requests into High Gear

Do you know most effective way to influence an undecided member of Congress? Meet with them face-to-face. According to Congressional Management Foundation, 94 percent of congressional staff say that in-person communication is the best way to sway a lawmaker who has yet to make a decision on your issue.

That’s why we created the Set the Agenda campaign. We don’t focus on face-to-face meetings for meetings sake; we do it because it works. With almost 100 new members of Congress this year, and certainly a new agenda with the leadership change in the House, you have a prime opportunity to set their agenda. Many of them are unaware of the details of America’s affordable housing crisis. Many of them don’t know how effective the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit are at reducing poverty. You can help bridge that gap.

TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to request face-to-face meetings with your members of Congress for the February recess (February 18-22). Use our updated meeting request (online or Word doc) to request your meeting now (find all the resources you need for your meetings on our new Lobbying page). If you’ve already requested a meeting, follow up with the scheduler to check on its status. Remember, be polite and persistent in your follow-up; the squeaky wheel does get the grease in this case.  Once you get a meeting scheduled, please contact Meredith Dodson for coaching.

Got Twenty Minutes? Engage Your Community in the Work to End Poverty

In February, our Set the Agenda campaign will not only include setting up meetings with congressional offices, but also using those meetings and other means to engage people in your community in the fight to end poverty.

TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes spur others in your community into action. Here are ideas you can use to expand our movement and harness the power of community members to create change:

1. Invite New People to Upcoming Lobby Meetings. Since last November’s election, over 250 people have signed up for RESULTS New Advocate Orientation, 71 of them in this month alone. People are hungry for change and they want to do something about. Inviting them to a lobby meeting is an excellent way to show them how to do it. Whether they take a role or just come to observe, it can be a profound moment for a person. It is highly likely you know people you could invite to a meeting – a new person who has contacted RESULTS, a friend you’ve been meaning to contact, a former group member you’d like to re-engage, or just someone you think would enjoy the experience. Invite them to join you in an upcoming lobby meeting. You won’t regret it.
2. Write Letters to Hand-Deliver in Lobby Meetings. Ask people to write letters to members of Congress about increasing funding for rental housing using our Action Sheet. Give them to REAL Change Fellows you know to deliver in their lobby meetings next Tuesday, February 12 in Washington, DC. If you can’t get letters to a REAL Changer, hand-deliver them in your local lobby meetings this month.
3. Engage Your Action Network with E-mails and Fed. 12 Call-In. Send a message to your local Action Network urging them to contact their members of Congress about increasing funding for affordable housing. Send them our online e-mail alert and urge them to take action today. Also, RESULTS will do a call-in day next Tuesday, February 12 while REAL Change Fellows are on Capitol Hill about housing funding. We will send an alert that day with the number to call and message to leave. Call yourself and then forward the alert to your networks to call as well.

Quick News

Submit Your Group Plan. Please submit your 2019 group plan using our online form. Find all our planning materials on the Outreach and Planning page. If you have questions, please contact Jos Linn for assistance.

Invite Tax Staffers to EITC Briefing on February 7. Contact tax aides in your House and Senate offices to invite them to a briefing to discuss expanding the EITC and other programs that help low-income Americans. The event is this Thursday, February 7 at 9:00 am ET at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center and is hosted by Prosperity Now and Tax Credits for Workers and Their Families.

Register for the RESULTS Conference! Registration for the RESULTS International Conference (July 13-16 in Washington, DC) is now open. Go to www.resultsconference.org to register today for our biggest event of the year.

Celebrate Black History Month. Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans, raise awareness about the injustices that still exist, and recommit ourselves to our values and work for change. In honor of Black History Month, we encourage RESULTS advocates to immerse ourselves in learning, discussion, and making community connections, such as:

• Join Black History Month activities in your community.
• Read our Black History Month resource list – pick out a movie, video, article, or book to use in discussion with your RESULTS group and/or community.
• Join RESULTS Regional Coordinator Rachel Azanleko-Akouete.for a discussion centered on three short videos: What does my headscarf mean to you?, Place Matters, and The danger of a single story. The webinar is Tuesday, February 26 at 1:00 pm ET. Join via Zoom: https://results.zoom.us/j/398056270or dial either (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, ID:398 056 270.
• Join RESULTS Director of U.S. Poverty Campaigns Meredith Dodson for a discussion of the book, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates on Thursday, February 28 at 2 pm ET. Join via Zoom: https://results.zoom.us/j/398056270or dial either (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, ID:398 056 270.

Bipartisan Housing Mobility Bill Introduced. Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have introduced a bill to help families receiving HUD Housing Choice Vouchers to move to areas with greater opportunities. Read more here.

Learn How to Be a Better Coach. Beginning on February 21, RESULTS Regional Coordinator Misty Novitch will host a book club discussion on the coaching techniques explored in David Rock’s book Quiet Leadership.  The book club will meet the third Thursday of each month at 9:00 pm ET up until the RESULTS International Conference. Session 1 assignment is to read pages 1-35. To join, login at https://results.zoom.us/j/482992263 or join by phone at either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, meeting ID 482 992 263. Questions? Contact Lisa Marchal.

Action Network Community of Practice Webinar Tomorrow. Join us to share best practices for building a strong group of local advocates to take action on our issues. We meet again tomorrow, February 6 at 8:00pm ET.  To join, log in: https://results.zoom.us/j/427674133 or dial (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 427 674 133. Join our Facebook and e-mail listserv too.

Apply for the 2019 REAL Change Fellowship. Check out and share the online application for our emerging young leaders program. Apply today!

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, February 5: RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801. Find recordings and slides from previous webinars on the National Webinars page.

Wednesday, February 6: RESULTS Action Network Community of Practice webinar, 8:00pm ET. To join, log in: https://results.zoom.us/j/427674133 or dial in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 427 674 133. You can also join our Facebook and e-mail groups.

Monday, February 18: Presidents’ Day. All RESULTS offices closed.

Monday, February 18-Friday, February 22: February Congressional Recess. Submit your meeting requests today.

Thursday, February 21: Quiet Leadership Book Club, 9:00 pm ET. To join, go to https://results.zoom.us/j/482992263. You can also join by phone at (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, meeting ID 482 992 263.

Tuesday, February 26: Black History Month Discussion, 1:00 pm ET. Join a discussion centered on three short videos: What does my headscarf mean to you?, Place Matters, and The danger of a single story. Join online at: https://results.zoom.us/j/398056270 or dial either (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, ID:398 056 270.

Thursday, February 28: Black History Month Discussion, 2:00 pm ET.  Join a discussion of the book, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Join via online at: https://results.zoom.us/j/398056270 or dial either (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, ID:398 056 270.

Tuesday, January 19, U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/324294681 or dial by phone at (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 324 294 681.

Saturday, July 13-Tuesday, July 16, 2019: RESULTS International Conference. Register at www.resultsconference.org.

Find all events on the RESULTS Events Calendar.

U.S. Poverty Staff time out of the office: Meredith Dodson, February 18-22. Jos Linn, February 15 (afternoon); March 21-22.

Other Resources

Learn more about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.

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

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

Please fill out the new RESULTS Lobby Report Form after any lobby meeting. In meetings that cover both U.S. and global poverty issues, please fill it out twice.

RESULTS Staff directory.