RESULTS Weekly Update August 30, 2022

Quote of the Week

“Please remember the kids! They after all are our heirs and our future.”

– Baltimore RESULTS volunteer Jan Kleinman, in an August 21 letter to the editor in the Baltimore Sun

Table of Contents

• Ask your senators to co-sponsor the READ Act
• Push the Child Tax Credit during the final August recess week
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Ask your senators to co-sponsor the READ Act

In low- and middle-income countries, up to 70% of 10-year-olds are unable to read a simple text. The longer vulnerable children are out of school, the less likely they are to return, and the World Bank estimates that this generation of students will lose $17 trillion in lifetime earnings. The on-going crisis in global education has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the READ Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 can help improve opportunities for students worldwide. This five-year reauthorization bill is designed to build on the tremendous success of the original READ Act of 2017 which propelled USAID toward a new strategy focused on expanding equitable access to education. We must not let up now.

TAKE ACTION: Contact your Senate offices in particular to urge them to co-sponsor the READ Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. First, check to see if your members of Congress have signed on, and then after you make your requests, follow the progress of this and other bills. Use the August Global Poverty Action Sheet for guidance on getting READ Act co-sponsors in the Senate. Use our online action alert to contact members of Congress directly. You can find additional resources on our Fall 2022 Campaign Resources page.

Push the Child Tax Credit during the final August recess week

RESULTS’ number one domestic priority this year has been reinstating the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC). The 2021 expanded CTC helped tens of millions of families avoid heart-breaking choices between basic needs. When Congress returns after the Labor Day holiday, negotiations on an end-of-year tax package are likely to ramp up. If we want an extension of the expanded CTC with monthly payments in that package, now is the time for positive pressure. We can raise this issue in the media, in town halls, and elsewhere.

TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to expand the CTC in 2022 using our Fall 2022 Campaign Resources page materials, and enroll others in taking action as well.

• Ask a question at a town hall. Congressional and candidate town halls are important occasions for building support for the CTC with legislators, potential legislators, and even the community. Find local events by calling local congressional/campaign offices and visiting https://townhallproject.com. The August 2022 U.S. Poverty Action Sheet and our laser talks will help you pose questions in a variety of settings.
• Write a letter to the editor. Getting published is another excellent way to build support for the CTC. Use our letter to the editor online action to personalize and submit a letter today.
• E-mail Congress. Use our online action alert to tell your representatives and senators to expand the CTC in tax legislation this year.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Media hooks of the week. To help you in your media advocacy, here are suggested media “hooks” this week to use in letters to the editor:

• U.S. Poverty: The Center for American Progress has published a new paper on food insecurity and how the U.S. can end hunger for millions, featuring the Child Tax Credit as one important tool. Data from this paper could provide some terrific key statistics for your letter.
• Global Poverty: How has education changed your life? Stories of transformation and opportunity can create compelling letters focused on the importance of the READ Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 and global access to quality basic education.

The End TB Now Act needs support. Have you made the request of your legislators to co-sponsor this crucial tuberculosis legislation? The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in healthcare, creating unimaginable setbacks in combating preventable killers like tuberculosis. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global TB Report confirmed the first increase in TB deaths in over a decade. But we now have powerful bipartisan global TB legislation pending in both the House (H.R. 8654) and the Senate (S. 3386). The End TB Now Act would direct USAID to set bold targets to reach and treat all forms of TB in the most vulnerable populations. We urgently need co-sponsors. Use our online action alert to ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the End TB Now Act. Also see our background memo and laser talk about the bill on our Fall 2022 Campaign Resources page.

New paper on U.S. food insecurity. The Center for American Progress has published a new paper on food insecurity and how the U.S. can end hunger for millions. The paper highlights the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) as crucial policies that have been proven to reduce hunger and food insecurity. In addition to promoting the CTC and EITC, the paper emphasizes increasing access to healthy food and eliminating “food deserts,” strengthening the WIC program, decreasing the administrative burden of applying for food assistance, and enacting all of these measures with a focus on equity.

August Policy Forum recordings. If you missed our August U.S. Poverty and Global Poverty Policy Forums, recordings are available! You can listen to RESULTS’ Michael Santos previewing our new housing campaign for a renters’ tax credit and RESULTS’ Crickett Nicovich providing a detailed roadmap of our global education, malnutrition, and TB campaigns this fall. Utilize this great information to strengthen your advocacy.

Announcements

Raise our issues at local town halls! Use upcoming town halls to ask legislators and candidates about our campaign priorities. Not sure how to locate an event year you? Check your newspaper, call lawmaker and candidate offices, and consult https://townhallproject.com. You can refer to our Fall 2022 Campaign Resources page for sample questions and to review the recording from our recent “birddogging” training.

Diversity and Inclusion 101 sessions continue. Join in on Saturday, September 10 at 11:00 am ET for the next opportunity learn more about why diversity and inclusion are important to our grassroots movement’s success and how to best apply these concepts to our work. We have repeated this important training many times throughout 2022 and more chances to attend have arrived! We are committed to encouraging our volunteer network take full advantage of this foundational, 90-minute workshop. Have you attended yet? If so, have you invited a fellow advocate to attend? Register today.

Learn more about relational organizing. Learn what relational organizing is and why it is critical to the sustainability of your group and RESULTS’ mission. Develop a framework for engaging your community and bringing new people into the RESULTS movement. The webinar is Tuesday, September 13 at 8:30 pm ET. Register today.

Reimagining the Five Pillars of the White House Hunger Conference by People with Lived Experience. Ahead of the White House Hunger Conference on September 28, join the Community Partnership Group at CLASP and the Experts on Poverty at RESULTS on Wednesday, September 14 at 3:00 pm ET for a webinar re-visioning the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health’s guiding Five Pillars. This September, for the first time in fifty years, the White House will be convening a conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The Five Pillars meant to define the scope of the conference are intended to help identify actions to be taken by all levels of government, non-profits, and private companies to end hunger in the U.S. by 2030. But as the Five Pillars currently stand, they do not reflect the insight of the people whose knowledge comes from direct experience with hunger, poverty, and the social systems meant to alleviate both. Join this important conversation. Register today.

Social media advocacy training. Looking for great new ways to reach your senators, representatives, and other audiences online? Join us for a session with a digital media strategist who will walk us through how to draft effective social media messaging and tie it to RESULTS’ goals. The trainer, Lindsey Spector, is a digital diplomacy professional who provides daily problem-solving and training on social media and strategic communications for global audiences. The training is Saturday, September 17, 11:00 am-12:30 pm ET. Register today.

Have you reviewed your 2022 Roadmap? September will soon be here, so now is the time for a group review. Celebrate your 2022 successes so far and refresh your goals for the remainder of the year through a 2022 Group Roadmap review. Use our Mid-year Roadmap Review Guide and Mid-Year Group Health Check to help smooth the process.

Note different webinar and policy forum dates in September. Because of the Labor Day holiday, we are pushing back our webinar and policy forum dates in September. The National Webinar is Saturday, September 10 at 1:00 pm ET. The U.S. Policy Forum (8:00 pm ET) and Global Policy Forum (9:00 pm ET) are Thursday, September 22. See the Upcoming Events calendar for registration links.

Apply for the 2023 RESULTS Fellowship. We are now accepting applications for the 2023 class of the RESULTS Advocacy & Organizing Fellowship. For all the details on eligibility and how to apply, check out our website. Applications close October 31.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are on recess until September 6.

Unless otherwise noted, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

Monday, September 5: Labor Day holiday. All RESULTS offices closed.

Thursday, September 8: Global Allies Program (with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers), 8:30 pm ET. Register today.

Saturday, September 10: Diversity and Inclusion 101, 11:00 am ET. Register here.

Saturday, September 10: Monthly National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Register here.

Monday, September 12: At the Intersection of Poverty and Climate Change, 8:30 pm ET. Hosted by the Global Allies Program – Partners Ending Poverty with RESULTS and RPCVs4 Environmental Action in partnership with Drawdown Lift. Register here.

Tuesday, September 13, New Advocate Orientation, 1:00 pm ET. Register for the orientation here.

Tuesday, September 13: Relational Organizing 101, 8:30 pm ET. Learn what relational organizing is and why it is critical to the sustainability of your group and RESULTS’ mission. Register today.

Wednesday, September 14: Reimagining the Five Pillars of the White House Hunger Conference by People with Lived Experience, 3:00 pm ET. Register today.

Thursday, September 15: Understanding and Interrupting Microaggressions, 11:00 am ET. Facilitated by Peace Learning Center. Seats limited. Register here.

Saturday, September 17: Social Media Advocacy training, 11:00 am ET. Look for registration information next week.

Tuesday, September 20: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET. Contact Jos Linn for more information.

Tuesday, September 20: Together Women Rise Advocacy Chapter with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Learn more.

Wednesday, September 21: Action Network Managers Webinar, 8:00 pm ET. Register here.

Wednesday, September 21, New Advocate Orientation, 8:30 pm ET. Register for the orientation here.

Thursday, September 22: U.S. Poverty Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Register here.

Thursday, September 22: Global Poverty Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Register here.

Wednesday, September 28: Build the Movement – Nuts and Bolts of Supporting New Advocates, 8:00 pm ET. Register today.

The next Global Poverty Free Agents meeting will be held in October.

Grassroots Resources

Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.

Find actions and volunteer resources on our Volunteers Hub, including our anti-oppression resources. To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected].

Remember to please report your recent advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities. Also, use our Volunteer Information Form to add or edit volunteer info and to sign up for updates and alerts.

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Lindsay Saunders at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.

RESULTS Staff  directory and job postings.