Global Weekly Update August 19, 2013
Dr. Paul Farmer on Sept. 7, Sam Daley-Harris & Dr. Yunus on Sept. 21!
September 7 National Conference Call. Join us for the rescheduled September National Grassroots Conference Call for global poverty advocates on Saturday, September 7 featuring Partners in Health co-founder Dr. Paul Farmer. Gather fellow advocates and dial (888) 409-6709 a few minutes before 2 pm ET to join! You won’t want to miss this. Use our customizable flyer to share the word and invite others to be part of the call.
September 21 Outreach to Celebrate Reclaiming Our Democracy. Another exciting opportunity coming in a few weeks is the celebration of the release of the 20th anniversary edition of Reclaiming Our Democracy by RESULTS founder Sam Daley-Harris. Dr. Muhammad Yunus will join Sam Daley-Harris and RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter on a conference call that can serve as a centerpiece for a book party in your community. The call will be held at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on Saturday, September 21. Check out our new guide to creating a book party, which includes the details on how to join the call and on how to purchase book copies.
Goal: 35 groups hold book parties and we invite 250 new people to join RESULTS!
As you work on your inviting for both of these calls, use this month’s laser talk to inspire others to engage with RESULTS using the powerful “Story of Self, Us and Now” format. And while you’re at it, why not share the inspiring words of Dr. Jeffrey Sachs. Share the podcast of this month’s national grassroots conference call!
Training Calls with Congressman Hamilton and author Zahara Heckscher Next Week
- Building Bipartisan Champions Cohort Call. Join us at 1 pm ET on August 26 for a special midday gathering of the Building Bipartisan Champions Cohort. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join. This call will feature special guest, former Congressman Lee Hamilton (D-IN), who served Congress for 34 years. Call in for insightful remarks and a Q&A session with this legislator who has dedicated his post-congressional career to cultivating civil civic dialogue. Congressman Hamilton will be our guest for the first half of the call, and then we'll discuss opportunities for bipartisan champion-building that we discovered at the International Conference and during August recess in-district meetings.
- Engaging Returned International Volunteers. On August 27 at 9 pm ET, Zahara Heckscher, author of How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas, will be leading a webinar for RESULTS folks on how to engage returned international volunteers in our groups. Alumni from international volunteer programs like the Peace Corps are “prequalified” to become RESULTS activists because they already care about the issues. But how do you find these returned international volunteers In your community? How do you engage them and bring them up the RESULTS ladder of engagement? The webinar will answer these questions and prepare you for successful recruitment and outreach for the September 21 Reclaiming Our Democracy book re-release event with Sam Daley Harris, Joanne Carter, and Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The strategies shared will also apply to other outreach target populations and future events. To join, cut and paste http://fuze.me/21005003 into your browser for the webinar portion. For the audio portion, dial (347) 817-7654, pin 0# or dial in via Skype to “fuzemeeting” and then 0#.
Top Actions: Get Your Reps. to Act on Education for All and Nutrition During August Recess
Take Action on Education and Child Nutrition. While our focus lately has been largely on the upcoming fall replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, we don’t want to leave behind other powerful actions that we’ve been working on this summer. The August congressional recess may be your moment to get that elusive face-to-face meeting! Or you might book one now for the upcoming September and October recesses. As you meet with your legislators and aides at home in your states and districts, and attend town hall meetings, ask for co-sponsorship of two important items in the House — the Education for All Act of 2013 (H.R.2780) and H.Res.254 which supports child nutrition. Utilize our comprehensive blog post on both pieces of legislation to get briefed on the issues, and make co-sponsorship requests of your representatives. We have a goal of meeting this year with all of the representatives and senators we cover. Can you help us reach it?
Other lobby meeting notes:
- Last call for International Conference Lobby Day Reports! We use the information you report online about your meetings in a number of ways; please report now as we would like to report to on our meetings to donors! If you have hard copies you want to submit, contact Lisa Marchal, Senior Global Grassroots Associate.
- Follow up on all meetings with congressional offices. Do this both by inquiring about the requests you made and by offering thank yous for the meetings and, if relevant, for attendance at the International Conference Lobby Day reception. Remember that if you don’t follow up on a meeting, it’s like it didn’t happen. Keep building those relationships!
Grassroots Board Member Nominations and Fundraising Ideas
1. Grassroots Board Member Nominations Are Open. Dr. Scott Leckman, Chair of the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund Board, has announced a position available, starting November 2013, for a RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund (REF) Grassroots Board Member. Lydia Pendley is completing her three year term as a Grassroots Board Member, making this spot available, and our sincere gratitude goes out to her for her three years of service! Candidates for the Grassroots Board Member seat must be engaged in an active RESULTS group, and if elected, will serve for a term of three years and represent the volunteer body on the Board of Directors and on the Executive Committee of the Board of RESULTS and RESULTS Educational Fund. More details on responsibilities and expectations of the Grassroots Board Member position are available from Jack McLaughlin. Nominations of candidates for the open Grassroots Board Member position must reach the RESULTS office by September 24. You can e-mail your nomination to Jack McLaughlin or fax it to (202) 466-1397.
2. Creative Fall Fundraising. Consider some of these seasonal holiday ideas for an online fundraiser and contact Cindy Levin, Grassroots Development Associate, to get started!
"Sweetest Day" Date Night In. For Sweetest Day on October 19, invite people to donate the cost of a gift to their sweeties to RESULTS while they actually stay in and do something special with their loved ones. Help ensure many sweet moments for families living in poverty. You could suggest whimsical levels of donation like "$20 box of candy," "$40 pizza and a movie," "$75 two-dozen roses delivered," "$100 fancy dinner," and "$250 spa treatment"!
A Thanksgiving Virtual Feast. Invite guests to virtually celebrate with RESULTS family to give thanks for having plenty and help people out of poverty. You could offer a copy of RESULTS Albuquerque's Recipe for Success book for donations of over $50. It has recipes from RESULTS partners, Dr. Joanne Carter, Sam Daley-Harris, and many members of Congress with a piece about one of our campaigns on the back of each card. Invite donors to make one of those dishes for their own Thanksgiving meal and think about the people they are helping put food on their own tables. It's a great way to raise awareness about nutrition for kids here and everywhere.
A Thanksgiving or Winter Virtual Run. There are a lot of "Turkey Trots" and "Jingle Bell" runs out there, but our kind of virtual racing means people can go at their own pace (even walking on a treadmill!) and don't have to be cold on a blustery morning. Offer folks a medal, a way to being thankful for what they have, and reminder that they are helping others.
We’ve taken on the major health problems of the poorest — tuberculosis, maternal mortality, AIDS, malaria — in four countries. We’ve scored some victories in the sense that we’ve cured or treated thousands and changed the discourse about what is possible.
— Dr. Paul Farmer of Partners in Health
The RESULTS DC office has moved! Effective August 20, the new address is 1101 15th St., NW, Ste. 1200, Washington, DC, 20005. Please note that the RESULTS main office phone, (202) 783-7100, will be out of service until August 21. Thank you for your patience!
1. August 20, 8 pm ET. Media Support Call. Want to be part of the on-going support that’s available to help you reach your media goals? Then this is the call for you! Join monthly for inspiration and ideas to keep you going. The Cameron Duncan Media Award is given to a deserving journalist at the annual International Conference, and we want to create professional media champions worthy of this award! This month, we’ll share highlights from the Media 101 workshop at the International Conference; also, bring your stories of success to share! Dial (218) 862-1300, passcode 682494 to join this call.
2. August 23, 1 pm ET. RESULTS Introductory Call. Heard of RESULTS and want to know more? Join us for this 30-minute introductory call. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join.
3. August 26, 1 pm ET. Building Bipartisan Champions Cohort Call. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 for this special daytime call. This cohort meets every other month to brainstorm ways to move the needle on our issues in more challenging Congressional contexts. This call will feature a special guest, former Congressman Lee Hamilton (D-IN). Call in for insightful remarks and a Q&A session with this legislator who has dedicated his post-Congressional career to cultivating an interest in civil civic dialogue.
4. August 27, 9 pm ET. Engaging Returned International Volunteers. Zahara Heckscher, author of How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas, will be leading a webinar for RESULTS folks on how to engage returned international volunteers in our groups. Webinar access: http://fuze.me/21005003. Dial in for audio to (347) 817-7654, pin 0#. Zahara covered this topic at the International Conference and is excited to bring it to those who missed her workshop.
5. September 7, 2 pm ET. RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Poverty Campaigns. Dial (888) 409-6709 to join!
6. September 11, 9 pm ET. RESULTS Introductory Call. Heard of RESULTS and want to know more? Join us for this 30-minute introductory call. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join.
7. September 21, 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. Outreach Conference Call to Re-launch Reclaiming Our Democracy. To celebrate the release of the 20th anniversary edition of Reclaiming Our Democracy by RESULTS founder Sam Daley-Harris, Sam will be joined on a conference call with Dr. Muhammad Yunus and RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter. Use this call, and the companion planning guide, to creating a great book party for outreach in your community.
8. September 23 (special date), 8 pm ET. Next RESULTS Free Agents call for global poverty advocates. Dial: (218) 486-1611, passcode 7378587 (RESULTS). Are you a RESULTS activist with our global poverty campaigns, living in a town with no RESULTS group? You are alone no more! Contact Lisa Marchal, Senior Global Grassroots Associate, for more information on this monthly group call.