From zero to a hundred: RESULTS advocates build a movement in Congress on global nutrition
Recent headlines confirm what RESULTS advocates have known for ages: global malnutrition is a crisis. And it needs to be a priority for lawmakers. Malnutrition is the underlying cause for nearly half of the horrific five million deaths among young children each year. It’s unacceptable that so many kids perish for a reason so entirely preventable. This is why RESULTS advocates have been educating their lawmakers on Nutrition for Growth (N4G). N4G is a funding partnership that channels critical resources toward proven nutrition programs.
A Nutrition for Growth sign-on letter is key
The N4G funding replenishment happens alongside the Olympics. Therefore, the U.S. must pledge bold support as soon as possible. In a feat of exemplary advocacy, the RESULTS network just took the official number of N4G supporters in Congress from zero to over a hundred.
To secure an ample and timely N4G pledge from the Biden Administration, Congress must send a clear message asking for action. Members of Congress (MoCs) do this by officially signing their names to a “sign on letter.” The more MoCs sign on, the stronger the message to the administration.
Advocates made record progress on the sign-on letter during congressional recess
As timelines for N4G became firmer, it was clear that RESULTS would need to launch an N4G sign on letter during the congressional August recess. This complicated the task. MoCs leave Washington, D.C. to go back to their home districts during the recess. This year, their aides were out with them on the campaign trail or even on vacation. RESULTS volunteers reported getting more “out of office” messages than anything else when they contacted staffers about N4G. But as we say, persistence usually pays off.
By the end of the recess, advocates secured over 50 signers to the N4G letter. What’s more, bipartisan MoCs agreed to lead the letter (Rep. McGovern D-MA and Rep. Salazar R-FL). A bipartisan call for action on nutrition would especially capture the attention of decision-makers. Already this was nearly record progress given the timing. But RESULTS advocates were just getting started.
Staff and coalition partners worked with Reps. Salazar and McGovern to extend the letter deadline past August. They knew volunteers could unleash exponential impact once Congress returned to D.C. By lunchtime the day before the September 12 deadline, there were 66 signers. Not too shabby. But that’s when the full network of staff and volunteers pulled out all the stops.
Nutrition for Growth letter signers nearly doubled in 24 hours, thanks to advocates
The network mounted a coordinated tidal wave of outreach, convinced the letter could reach 100 signers by day’s end. Some MoCs’ offices told advocates that they needn’t keep calling, they’d heard the call to sign on to N4G so many times that day. But, of course, advocates didn’t stop. RESULTS Columbus advocate Jasai Perkins and her close friend Deaontay Morris knew they could make precious impact in the short time frame. Deaontay, a city official, called his lawmaker’s foreign policy director. The two knew each other through their career connections. Deaontay ensured the foreign policy staffer would listen to Jasai. Before the end of the day, their member of Congress had signed the letter. They made N4G inescapable. Advocacy continued until the clock ran out on “business hours” in D.C. — and even after that.
By the time folks in D.C. fired up their laptops the morning of September 13, the letter had a staggering 106 signers! This number included five MoCs who were brand new to global nutrition work. RESULTS advocates had genuinely brought the momentum on global nutrition from zero to a hundred.
The timing of this accomplishment is critical. Countries come together this week for the United Nations General Assembly. Heads of state will discuss their planned N4G pledges as the March 2025 deadline looms. There is no better time for the Biden Administration to have received a strong, bipartisan call for action on malnutrition. The time to end child malnutrition is now. Thanks to the advocacy of everyday people, U.S. leaders have heard that call loud and clear.