Global Weekly Update December 9, 2013

Join the Last National Grassroots Conference Call of 2013 This Saturday. It'll Be a Celebration!

1. December National Grassroots Conference Call on Saturday, December 14. Mark your calendars for our final national grassroots conference call of the year! It will be a joint call with our U.S. poverty advocates around the country. It will be a great hour of information, encouragement, and celebration! Dial (888) 409-6709 at 2 pm ET on Saturday, December 14 to join.

2. 2014 Advocacy Planning Materials. Be on the watch for 2014 campaign information, individual and group planning sheets . . . all you need to kick off 2014's advocacy year right. And mark your calendars for our first national grassroots conference call of the year on January 11 focusing on new year planning! More soon.

Phenomenal Gift Match Opportunity Through December 31

A generous supporter has offered to match donations—up to $20,000—made to RESULTS or RESULTS Educational Fund by the end of the year. That means every dollar you donate will be doubled! It’s simple: Any donation mailed or made online from today until December 31 will count towards this challenge.

Let’s not leave money on the table! Will you consider making an end-of-year gift that will have twice its impact?

Check out our donation page online, and share it with friends and family who care about ending poverty just as you do!

The December Action Sheet: Perfect for December and Early January Outreach

The good news? For the most part, the poverty-focused development programs in the International Affairs budget for which RESULTS advocates have been spared major cuts, though there have been reductions. The bad news? U.S. investments in the International Affairs Budget have been cut by 19 percent since 2010, and more cuts could be on the way as Congress wrangles to come up with a 2014 budget deal that both parties can agree upon.

So we must do what we do best. We must raise our voices to protect live-saving poverty-focused foreign aid for next year and beyond.

Grab the December 2013 Action Sheet, grab a pencil or a laptop, and take a stand. Then ask a friend or your RESULTS group to do the same. As Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) has said, "We ought to make sure we are making investments in the people of the world, making investments in peace and security and democracy, and seeing to it that there is no hunger, seeing to it that there is more opportunity, seeing to it that there is clean water, that there is basic education for the people of the world.”

P.S. Speaking of taking action . . . report before 2013 ends! We are barrelling toward 2014; have you reported all your advocacy actions and lobby meetings? Now's the time to use our handy online forms! Report 2013 advocacy actions and lobby meetings today!

The Passing of Nelson Mandela

Check our our newsroom, where Executive Director Joanne Carter remarks on the death, life, and legacy of the great Nelson Mandela, a champion for human rights and the dignity of all persons and a figure who will continue to inspire our work for years to come.

"I was totally excited the first time I saw my name on an opinion piece in the newspaper, but what gives me true satisfaction is picturing the people who receive opportunities they need because of our work in RESULTS."

– Judy Zizzo, RESULTS Missoula

(For a complete calendar, see our website.)

1. December 13, 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.

2. December 14, 2 pm ET. RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Poverty Campaigns. This call will be a joint call with our fellow advocates working on domestic poverty advocacy! Dial (888) 409-6709 to join.

3. December 25-January 1. RESULTS office is closed for the holiday season. Happy holidays to you and yours!

4. January 6, 8 pm ET – CORRECTED special date. 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.

5. January 8, 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.

6. Next Monthly Media Support Call – Date is TBD for 2014. Dial (218) 862-1300, passcode 682494 to join. 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. 

7. January 11, 2 pm ET. First RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Poverty Campaigns. Focus: Planning, dreaming, and scheming for impact in 2014!

8. First House and Senate Recesses of 2014: January 20-24. Schedule face-to-face meetings!