Global Weekly Update May 20, 2013
Top Actions: Child Nutrition Media & Sign On Letter
We've proven that media works for creating change. In recent campaigns on the Global Fund, GAVI, and World Bank education policy, media helped educate and create pressure. At last year's International Conference, USAID Administrator, Raj Shah called out some of your media pieces by name! Media matters.
On June 8, 2013, the UK Government and Brazil will host the first-ever global nutrition pledging event to mobilize new policy and financial commitments to fight malnutrition. This event presents a key opportunity for the U.S. to deepen its commitment to nutrition and enshrine it across all U.S. development, food security, and global health efforts. If we are silent, our communities will not know about this historic opportunity, and the Administration will not likely take leadership at this pledging conference.
Top Action #1: Generate Media Today!
Don't wait–write today as time is running short. Our goal is generate at least 40 letters to the editor and 10 opeds or editorials. See what we've generated so far. We also want some new activists to generate some media so we all develop these critical advocacy skills. We'll compile a packet of all your media work and leverage it with our our members of Congress and the Administration. Will your area of the country be represented in the packet? Use World Hunger Day as a hook (see next section below).
1. Got just five minutes? Use our action alert to help you write your letter to the editor.
2. Got 15 minutes? Use our longer, more comprehensive May action sheet, which includes other hook ideas, to support your letter-writing.
3. Got 30 minutes? Craft a compelling op-ed of your own, or pitch your paper’s local editorial writer or editorial board, using our new editorial packet! (Get quick support in writing your op-ed and in making your pitch to your paper through our online activist milestones.)
4. Got a couple of hours? Organize an education & action (food & fun?) meeting with your group or in your community, and engage others to join you in writing letters to the editor. Use this handy guide to build your meeting agenda.
Need more media support? Mark May 21, 8 pm ET on your calendar for the monthly media support call, designed to offer inspiration and ideas to keep you going toward media success. Dial 218-862-1300, passcode 682494 to join this call. (Miss the call? Stay tuned for the scheduling of the next one!)
Top Action #2: Critical House Child Nutrition Sign-on Letter Open Until May 29!
We have a powerful bipartisan nutrition sign on letter calling on the President to be bold at the Nutrition for Growth Summit in the UK on June 8. Representatives Schock (R-IL), Reichert (R-WA), McCollum (D-MN), and McGovern (D-MA) are leads on the letter–great bipartisan support!
1. Got 2.5 minutes? Use the Congressional Switchboard (202 224-3121) to call your Representative's office and say, "I'm calling to ask the Representative to sign the bipartisan US Leadership on Global Nutrition sign on letter. The Representative's signature will send a message to the President that we must do more to ensure that the first 1000 days of each child's life will prepare them for a productive future. We can do this by increasing efforts to provide all mothers and children with adequate nutritions during these critical first days." Leave your name, address, and phone number, and ask for a reply.
2. Got 10 minutes? Read the sign on letter, then use the same phone number and ask for the foreign policy aide when you call. Deliver a similar message to the one above, and ask for a response. Ask if they need a copy of the letter. If you get an answering machine, leave a message with your request.
Bookmark this page with all of our Nutrition Campaign resources and use it throughout the month!
Next Action: Fast, Write, & Tweet about Child Nutrition on World Hunger Day, May 28
Another media hook and solidarity building activity is fasting day on World Hunger Day, May 28 (for those who are able). Our plans are to generate a social media flurry on Twitter, as well as traditional media, before and after World Hunger Day. We are using media, congressional pressure, and direct meetings with the Administration to call for robust U.S. leadership at the June 8 pledging conference. Social media is another way to get the message out.
Consider signing up to fast for a full or half day in solidarity with the 165 million children who are chronically undernourished worldwide. To leverage this effort, we encourage you to use your activity as a media hook for the 40 letters to the editor and 10 op-eds/editorials we hope to generage through June.
To further leverage this unique day, you are invited to join the mass Twitter action on World Hunger Day (May 28) to tweet about the fast. Direct your tweets to @USAID, @WhiteHouse, and @StateDept, using the hashtag: #Nutrition4Growth. Those who can’t fast are still invited to tweet and retweet, and all are encouraged to write letters to the editors and op-eds. You can even identify community leaders willing to fast, write, and tweet. Here are some sample tweets:
For Organizing
Fast with me on world hunger day! @RESULTS_Tweets will be sponsoring a Twitter Action (5/28) and fast asking POTUS to pledge $1.35 billion over three years for nutrition. #Nutrition4Growth
For Our Targets
@whitehouse I am fasting on World Hunger Day in solidarity with the world's hungry. Will you increase our nutrition funding to $450 million annually? #Nutrition4Growth
@whitehouse 1/4 of all children are chronically malnourished but less than 1% of our aid goes to nutrition. Make a $450 million annual commitment on June 8th @nutrition4growth. #Nutrition4Growth
@Whitehouse Economists agree – nutrition programs are the most cost-effective way to end poverty. Pledge to invest $450 million annually to end global hunger on June 8th @nutrition4growth. #Nutrition4Growth
@whitehouse Taking action in solidarity with 165 mil hungry children on World Hunger Day. It's time to pledge $1.35 Billion on June 8th. #Nutrition4Growth
World Bank Meeting Was Inspiring: Exec. Dir. Joanne Carter
RESULTS partners,
I had the wonderful opportunity to sit in on the May 7th Senate breakfast meeting with World Bank President Dr. Jim Kim. The meeting was a success and an inspiring moment. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA), the hosts of the meeting, welcomed Jim Kim. Senator Brown acknowledged Jim Kim’s leadership on TB and other health issues over many years, and Senator Isakson spoke powerfully of his own travel to Africa and his commitment to the MDGs. They were joined by six other senators for an hour-long conversation with Jim Kim about the Bank’s newly launched goals to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 and related issues. In attendance were Senators Cantwell (D-WA), Durbin (D-IL), Harkin (D-IA), Kaine (D-VA), Shaheen (D-NH) and Wicker (R-MS). Jim Kim laid out his vision for these poverty eradication goals and his commitment to focus the Bank on achieving them. Issues raised by the Senators ranged from preventing child labor and the Bank’s role on disability issues to the importance of water and sanitation for poverty eradication, how the Bank addresses corruption and how to ensure the benefits of growth and infrastructure actually benefit the poor.
Thank you for all of your inspired efforts. Please thank your senators for participating, and especially thank the organizers. And please remember that even if your Senators couldn’t attend, your outreach itself was very important—because you had a conversation with key senate staff about the World Bank’s new goals to eradicate extreme poverty. There is a lot more work to be done, both in building political support and shaping the substance of the plan, but it is an exciting time. There are already efforts under way to arrange a similar meeting with House members so stay tuned!
Grassroots News You Can Use
International Conference: There's Still Time to Plan a for Phenomenal Impact in Washington, DC
Registration is open! What are you waiting for?
REAL Change Scholarships. Encourage young emerging leaders age 18–28 to apply for our REAL Change conference scholarship program (extended deadline is June 10). This scholarship empowers newer advocates to come into a cohort at the conference for extra learning and networking above what they'll experience as a full conference participant. Help us cultivate the future of RESULTS and share the application today!
Lobby Day. Have you booked your Hill meetings with your members of Congress for Tuesday, July 23 yet? Report them!
Lobby Day Reception on Capitol Hill. For the culmination of our big lobby day on July 23, we’ll once again be hosting a reception on Capitol Hill and Prof. Yunus will join as our special guest. We’d like to have as many members of Congress also attend, so please start sending your invitations. You can find a customizable invitation on our website.
Nominations for the 2013 Cameron Duncan Media Award. This award, which will be presented at the RESULTS International Conference this July in Washington, DC, is given each year to a journalist who has demonstrated outstanding reporting on issues related to poverty and hunger. While there is no requirement for the journalist to accept the award in person, we will invite, and cover all costs, for the winner to attend our conference and receive the award in person. Along with a one to two paragraph nomination letter/email, please submit two relevant clips from the past 12 months that demonstrate the journalist's dedication to our issues. Send nominations and questions to Blair Hinderliter, Director of Operations and Communications, by Friday, May 24.
Building Bipartisan Champions. Do you have a story of a successful meeting with a member of Congress you thought would be significantly opposed to our issues? By contrast, do you have a member of Congress you're working with, but you're struggling for talking points that help you gain common ground? We'd like to talk with you! Contact Lisa Marchal, Senior Global Grassroots Associate, for help and for ways that your stories and questions can help others at the International Conference and beyond.
Use this Handy Dandy International Conference Checklist to helpul you prepare and organize.
GiveBig = Big Win
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Seattle Foundation's GiveBIG campaign on May 15 by spreading the word or making a donation. The RESULTS Educational Fund page on the GiveBIG website received $5,546 thanks to many small and some large donors. This is an increase of over $1000 from last year! A percentage of this amount will be matched by the Seattle Foundation sponsors like Starbucks to leverage even more from our donors' gifts. Thank you!
Appropriations Round-Up
How did our issues fare in the early a mid-term days of the appropriations process? Check out our appropriations page with has comprehensive updates on amounts requested and those who signed on to letters of support for our issues.
"Over a billion people still live on less than $1.25 a day. Getting to the point where no one at all is that poor is no longer a pipe dream. It can and should be one of the great achievements of our time."
– UK Prime Minister David Cameron, May 2013
1. May 21, 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. Dial (218) 862-1300, passcode 682494 to join this call.
2. May 24-June 2. Congressional Recess. Schedule face-to-face meetings.
3. May 31, 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.
4. June 8, 2 pm ET. RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Poverty Campaigns. Dial (888) 409-6709 to join!
5. June 10. REAL Change application deadline (International Conference scholarship for young adult activists. See update for full details.)
6. June 12, 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. June 17, 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.
8. July 20–23. RESULTS International Conference in Washington, DC. Registration is open!