RESULTS Campaigns Weekly Update December 22, 2020

Quote of the Week

“Now is the time to dream big.”

– RESULTS West Virginia volunteer Joanna DiStefano in a December 18 letter to the editor in the Dominion Post

Year-end successes and happy holidays!

Thank you all for an amazing year of advocacy. Despite experiencing a year of unprecedented challenges – global pandemic, economic crisis, police violence, contentious election – you were undaunted. You conducted over 500 lobby meetings, got over 700 media pieces published, welcomed hundreds of new advocates, and helped us create the largest RESULTS International Conference in years. In other words, you made 2020 one of the most powerful years of advocacy in RESULTS history.

Most importantly, you kept focus on making sure Congress prioritized low-income families in the response to COVID-19. In March, you helped get the CARES Act passed, the largest single piece of legislation in U.S. history, which provided critical resources in helping those struggling through the pandemic. Since then, you have fought for more funding as the pandemic and its economic aftermath have continued to devastate hundreds of millions around the globe.

When George Floyd was killed in May, your outrage and compassion helped bolster the case for racial justice and equity. That work will continue because, as our Statement of Values says, “poverty cannot end as long as oppression exists.”

Now, at the end of the year, the fruits of your labor once again become clear. This month, a bipartisan group of senators unveiled COVID legislation to support low-income renters and hungry families – two areas you have relentlessly pushed Congress to address in new COVID legislation through your meetings, media, calls, e-mails, and outreach. That bipartisan proposal shaped final negotiations and the $900 billion COVID relief package passed last night. Some of the specifics of the COVID relief provisions:

• $25 billion in emergency rental assistance with a priority for low-income renters most at risk of eviction (more on the housing specifics here)
• Extending the national CDC eviction moratorium for one month
• 15 percent boost to SNAP for six months to help families put food on the table
• Key changes to boost the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) for low-income workers and families, which enables workers who have lost jobs or face reduced wages to use their 2019 income to get a larger refund
• $4B for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which will mean millions of people in low-income countries have access to a COVID vaccine.
• In addition, this week Congress finalized its annual funding (appropriations) for global poverty, including several increases RESULTS volunteers worked for at the start of the year (details here).

We know more needs to be done – and there will be opportunities to address the gaps in relief and other priorities in the new year. We urge you to read more about the final package and RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter’s reflections on our blog.

Despite all the challenges 2020 presented, RESULTS is a stronger organization today than it was a year ago. That is because of you. You are the backbone of our success and we deeply thank you for your work. We have much more to do in 2021, but for now, have a safe and enjoyable holiday and a happy new year!

And if you are eager to stay in action over the holidays, please visit our Action Center for online actions you can take at any time. Note that all RESULTS offices will be closed from December 25 through January 3. The next Weekly Update will be on January 5.

RESULTS Announcements

RESULTS end-of-year giving. Give before the end of the year to help fund our work in the first 100 days of the new Administration. We need your support today! Your gift will help us propel RESULTS advocates into the new year with an even greater momentum for change.

New registration for 2021 National Webinars. Our first National Webinar of 2021 will be Saturday, January 9 at 1:00 pm ET. We have a new registration form for 2021 and each person will need to register to get access to the webinar. Please register today!

Register for First 100 Days Kickoff. Plan to attend the Kickoff Event for our 2021 First 100 Days campaign on Saturday, February 6. Stay tuned for more details, but make sure to register for this free event today.

Upcoming Events

Friday, December 25-Friday, January 1: RESULTS holiday break. All RESULTS offices will be closed. Happy holidays!

Friday, January 8: Deadline to finish group roadmaps. Find our 2021 Roadmap materials on our Outreach and Planning page (under “My group wants to make our plans”).

Saturday, January 9: RESULTS National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. We have a new registration form for 2021. Please register today!

Wednesday, January 13: BIPOC Caucus, 8:30 pm ET. Featuring Asia Bijan Thompson, Esq., Law Guardian with the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender. The topic will be how the judicial system affects poverty and the BIPOC community. To register, email Yolanda Gordon.

Wednesday, January 13: Basic Training on Zoom, 8:30 pm ET. Need to brush up on some Zoom basics so that you can utilize this tool for advocacy in 2021? Come on along to this training. Register today.

Monday, January 18: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Holiday. All RESULTS offices closed.

Thursday, January 21: How Do I Meet with My Congressional Office? 8:30 pm ET. Join us to learn the basics of how to schedule, plan, and meet with your congressional office on the issues you care about. Register today.

Monday, January 25: Global Poverty Free Agents Webinar, 8:00 pm ET. For information on how to join, please contact Lisa Marchal.

Thursday, January 28: Researching Your Members of Congress, 8:30 pm ET. Want to learn more about your member(s) of Congress so that you can engage in more effective advocacy? Join this webinar to learn about tips and tools that you can use to get to know your legislators – their backgrounds, current committee work, and more. Register today.

Friday, January 29: RESULTS African Leadership Cohort Virtual Meet and Greet, 8 pm ET. The African Leadership Cohort will be hosting the first-of-its-kind virtual get- together in January. We are inviting all RESULTS volunteers of the African Diaspora to join us for a meet & greet session. Please email Alice Aluoch for the login information.

Saturday, February 6: RESULTS First 100 Days Kickoff Event, 1:00 pm ET. Register today.