RESULTS Campaigns Weekly Update October 13, 2020
Quote of the Week
“Ignoring the families of the dead and those who are still living with the effects of COVID is a massive failure of human rights. I call on everyone to contact your senators to tell McConnell to allow them to vote for a relief bill now.”
– RESULTS South Kitsap volunteer Judy Arbogast in an October 6 letter to the editor in the Tacoma News Tribune
Table of Contents
- Global Poverty Campaigns Update
- U.S. Poverty Campaigns Update
- RESULTS Announcements
- Upcoming Events
- Grassroots Resources
Global Poverty Campaigns Update
QUICK ACTION Write a letter to the editor on prioritizing global health and education during the COVID-19 crisis
Got Ten Minutes? Use the media to call for an COVID-19 emergency response bill
According to a recent ONE Campaign poll, “Voters see U.S. leadership in fighting disease on the decline: There is a 36 to 39-point difference between voters who say that it is important for the U.S. to be a leader vs. those who say the U.S. currently is a leader in the responding to, preventing, and detecting infectious disease.” So, where is the leadership voters are looking for? This is why we are frustrated—Congress has yet to pass a COVID-19 emergency response bill when so many people are suffering. The good news is that your advocacy has helped create pressure for a global response to pandemic. In fact, the House passed a revised HEROES Act that included $10 billion for global health and development assistance funding just two weeks ago.
We can’t let up, though. The Senate has yet to take up a relief bill and has done very little to address the crisis. The Senate must come back to the table, the White House must support global funding, and we must get a deal that focuses on the dire effects of COVID-19 in the U.S. and around the world. We must continue to voice our frustration with our senators and representatives about Congress’ misplaced priorities and call them into leadership. Will you write and submit a letter to the editor this week to keep the pressure on?
TAKE ACTION: Write and submit a letter to the editor. Let your members of Congress know that Congress must pass a COVID-19 relief bill that includes global health and development assistance. Use our online action alert to write your letter and consider putting others in action using the October Global Action Sheet. Once it’s published, take the next steps:
- Send the letter to the legislative director and foreign policy aide, along with our global media compilation of over 124 pieces of related media from around the country and a request for action.
- Send your letter to your group members and your network. Ask them to amplify it by sending it to your representative and senators with a call to action.
- Report your letter so we have a record of your great work
Got Sixty Minutes? Attend tonight’s training on welcoming new advocates
Join Welcoming New Advocates training on October 13. We are absolutely delighted by all the new inquiries we’re getting on how to become involved with RESULTS. After an orientation period, many of those inquiring will be introduced to local RESULTS groups as new advocates. Their first impression of you is important. Join our Welcoming New Advocates training to learn best practices for welcoming and integrating new advocates into your local groups. The webinar is tonight – Tuesday, October 13 at 8:30 pm ET.
TAKE ACTION: Register to attend the Welcoming New Advocates training that will be held tonight – Tuesday, October 13 at 8:30 pm ET.
A Reminder of What’s at Stake. RESULTS St. Louis Group Co-Leader, Yara Levin, organized a great webinar with Dr. Madhukar Pai on the impacts of COVID on low- and middle-income countries. The webinar was powerful and sobering. It will put you directly in touch with why our advocacy is so urgent now, and as we look into next year. Find the recording here and listen using Access Code FK7VTYa*.
Please log your actions! Remarkably, we’re now into the last quarter of the year. Have you and your group caught up on your advocacy action reporting? You can do so now very easily by using our online forms.
U.S. Poverty Campaigns Update
QUICK ACTION Use media to push Congress to pass emergency rental assistance
Got Five Minutes? Register for tonight’s Welcoming New Advocates training
In September, over 500 people contacted RESULTS about getting involved in our work and our last few New Advocate Orientation calls have had amazing numbers. People are looking for a way to make a difference and they are coming to us to find it. But finding new advocates is just the start. After these new people go through their orientation period, they will be introduced to your local RESULTS groups. Their first impression of you will decide if they stick around.
How do you best welcome new people? How do you encourage them to take action? What about asking them to take on a leadership? If you wonder about these and other questions, please join RESULTS staff Alicia Stromberg and Jos Linn tonight for the Welcoming New Advocates training webinar. If you want to learn how best to welcome new people into your group and have them keep coming back, you won’t want to miss this.
TAKE ACTION: Take five to register for the Welcoming New Advocates training webinar tonight, October 13 at 8:30 pm ET. You must register to attend.
Got Another Five Minutes? Keep pushing Congress for a deal
The saga in Washington continues. Last week saw the President abruptly cut off COVID relief negotiations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12), only to reverse course just days later. The two sides have gone back and forth over the last week with little progress. While both sides still talk of getting a deal, with each passing day the likelihood of a deal before the election fades. And even if the House and White House were to suddenly strike a deal, it still must get through the Senate. So far, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has not participated in the negotiations, focusing instead on the Supreme Court vacancy, and has said publicly that a COVID vote in the Senate before the election is unlikely.
It is disappointing at best that despite the House passing robust COVID relief in May and again this month, that the Senate and White House continue to ignore the urgency of that American families are facing. But, as advocates, we can take heart that our voices are being heard. Your media, calls, e-mails, and meetings these last few months have kept the pressure on. Without that pressure, talks would still not be happening. Keep it up. The more you push Congress and the White House to get it done, the faster it will happen.
TAKE ACTION: Take five minutes to tell Congress and the President to get a new COVID-19 relief package done ASAP that includes robust rental assistance. Use media to get your message out now. The October U.S. Poverty Action has a sample letter to the editor to get you started, or use updated online media alert to send a letter in just a few clicks. Use stories in your local papers about election, COVID-19, Supreme Court, or unemployment as hooks for your next letter. Also, when contacting your House and Senate aides with recent media, be sure to include a link to all the COVID/U.S. poverty media pieces (March 27-September 15) RESULTS have volunteers have generated.
QUICK NEWS ON U.S. POVERTY
Household Pulse Survey shows Americans still struggling with rent. Based on responses collected September 16-28, the Household Pulse Survey estimates that 6.8 percent of adults are either not current on their rent or mortgage payment, or have slight or no confidence in making their next payment on time. Of that group, 32.1 percent report eviction or foreclosure in the next two months is either somewhat or very likely. Read more about the data from this CBPP analysis.
Child nutrition waivers extended. On October 9, the USDA announced the extension of child nutrition waivers for the full school year, through June 30, 2021. The waivers will help ensure kids have the food they need this school year, and help schools, community providers and all operators plan with certainty during an otherwise chaotic time. A few weeks ago, the Administration also extended waivers for WIC for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Vox looks at Biden-Harris poverty proposals. The news site Vox asked Columbia University to look at the various housing, tax, and other proposals put forth by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to assess the impact they could have on poverty. The results are stunning. If enacted, these proposals would cut the overall poverty rate nearly in half and cut the child poverty rate by almost 75 percent, lifting 20 million people out of poverty. Read the full analysis here.
RESULTS Announcements
Join Welcoming New Advocates training tonight. In September, over 500 people contacted RESULTS about getting involved in our work. After an orientation period, many of these advocates will be introduced to local RESULTS groups. Their first impression of you is important. Join our Welcoming New Advocates training to learn the best practices for welcoming and integrating new advocates into your local groups. The webinar is Tuesday, October 13 at 8:30 pm ET. Register today to attend.
Candidate Engagement. Cook Political Report estimates there are about 100 competitive House races in the country. RESULTS had a great webinar on October 8 on engaging candidates in those races. Find the recording, laser talks for engaging candidates, and a leave behind here. Let the Grassroots Impact Team know if you need support figuring out how to engage your candidates.
We are recruiting Regional Coordinators! We are recruiting for open Regional Coordinator positions. Please see this document for all the information on what being a Regional Coordinator entails, qualifications for the position, and the application process. Questions? Contact Lisa Marchal at [email protected]. Consider applying and/or sharing with those you think should apply!
Visit coronavirus blog for updates. Read the RESULTS coronavirus blog for the latest updates and actions you can take.
Receive action alerts via text. We are setting up a system to send some of our action alerts via text. If you’d like to receive text action alerts, please text RESULTS to 50457 to sign up for text action alerts.
Upcoming Events
Congressional schedule. Members of Congress are in recess. Submit your remote meeting requests today.
Tuesday, October 13: Welcoming New Advocates training webinar, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.
Tuesday, October 13: Putting The Righteous Mind into Practice webinar, 9:00 pm ET. Join the meeting using this link, meeting ID: 655 036 085, passcode: 641539.
Friday, October 16: World Food Day. #WFD2020.
Saturday, October 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Monday, October 19: Global Poverty Free Agents Webinars, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/464361707 or, by phone, (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID 464361707.
Tuesday, October 20: U.S. Poverty Free Agents Webinars, 1:00 and 8:00pm ET. For information on how to join, please contact Jos Linn.
Thursday, October 22: Presidential Debate, 9:00pm ET.
Friday, October 23: New Advocate Orientation, 12:00 pm ET. Sign up online.
Saturday, November 7: RESULTS National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/994444828. You can also join by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID 994 444 828. If you didn’t register for September or October’s webinars, please register for the webinar to receive the login password.
Tuesday, November 10: Welcoming New Advocates training webinar, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.
Thursday, November 12: Quarterly Townhall with the Grassroots Board Members, 9:00 pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/358807054 or dial (312) 626-6799 or (929) 436-2866.
Grassroots Resources
Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
To update volunteer info (e.g. subscribe to the Weekly Update or action alerts, add new advocate information, update an existing advocate’s information or preferences), use our Volunteer Information Form.
Find actions and volunteer resources on our Current Volunteers page, including our anti-oppression resources.
Remember to please report your recent grassroots successes in lobby meetings, media pieces, and outreach activities.
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.