RESULTS Weekly Update June 11, 2024

June 11, 2024

Quote of the Week

“The U.S. should make a generous [Gavi] pledge that continues America’s position as a world leader in global health. Every child deserves a healthy start to life.”

– RESULTS St. Louis volunteer Cynthia Changyit Levin in a May 27 letter to the editor in the Columbia Missourian

Table of Contents

Push Congress to support Gavi as June 20 approaches

The date is getting closer. On June 20, world leaders will meet in France to discuss the next Gavi replenishment (in advance of the full replenishment conference this fall). What is Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance? It is a public-private partnership that works in marginalized areas of the world to promote access to vaccines for preventable disease. Since its inception, it has helped vaccinate 1 billion children, saving over 17 million lives. With progress being made into new vaccines against malaria and tuberculosis, Gavi’s work is more important than ever.

Gavi’s plans are nothing less than world changing. Gavi wants to reach all children who have not received any doses of vaccines and support the sustainable growth of vaccine manufacturing in Africa. We are working so that the U.S. makes a $1.4 billion pledge over four years at the upcoming replenishment conference. The U.S. needs to lead on this issue, and now is the time to secure that leadership.

And good news – the House just joined the Senate in introducing a bipartisan resolution supporting Gavi! Be sure to read the press release quoting RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter. Both resolutions are now open for co-sponsors. Co-sponsors on these resolutions will galvanize political will on this issue and put positive pressure on the Administration to show up with the kind of pledge truly needed. The Senate version is S.Res. 684 and the House version is H.Res. 1286.

Moreover, getting media published on a U.S. Gavi pledge will help engender support as well. Imagine what influence we could have with 100 Gavi letters to the editor by the end of June? Let’s make it happen.

TAKE ACTION: Ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor new Senate and House Gavi resolutions. Help us get as many co-sponsors as possible before June 20. Contact foreign policy aides directly or use our online action to urge your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Gavi resolutions ASAP. Once that’s done, please submit a Gavi letter to the editor to continue that positive pressure!

Summer action meetings are good for the advocate soul

This summer, RESULTS volunteers from around the country are coming together in-person to take action. These “summer convening” meetings are a great way for us to get back to doing what we do well – organizing our communities into action. Meeting together has been a staple of RESULTS since it was founded. In fact, you can say our success was built on it. RESULTS founder Sam Daley-Harris understood then and now the power of bringing people together to take action. Whether writing postcards, drafting letters, or planning lobby meetings, working together makes a bigger impact, both on our issues and ourselves. Knowing you are not alone in your advocacy makes change more possible.

When will your group meet this summer? What will you do at the meeting? Groups are coming up with creative ideas, such as hosting an ice cream social, a community action barbecue, an outdoor church meeting, a bakery meetup and postcard-writing, a potluck taco party, and more. Note that these are not huge, elaborate events. Before 2020, we’d call them regular RESULTS meetings. And that’s the point. The goal of these meetings is not to go bigger (unless you want to), but to get back to the basics of being in fellowship with one another.

So, who’s game to meet up?

TAKE ACTION: Help put summer fun into political action. Plan when and where your local RESULTS group will meet in person this summer. We’d like to see every RESULTS group do something by the end of August. Check out our how-to guide, creative ideas, invitation toolkit, and more to help you plan your community action meeting this summer. Be sure to invite everyone from your group to attend as well as new people who want to learn more. Note: if you are writing postcards that RESULTS sent you, please bring copies of our Summer Action Sheet with you; it explains how to fill out the postcards.

If you want help planning your summer meeting, please join our Outreach and Event Planning Office Hour this Thursday, June 13 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Drop in at https://results.zoom.us/j/94004748060, meeting ID 940 0474 8060.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Leave comment by Thursday about SNAP’s mission. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing a change in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules to incorporate provisions from the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. The proposed rule would modify the purpose of SNAP from addressing hunger and malnutrition among households with low incomes to focusing on employment. Under this new rule, work requirements would become stricter, which could lead to lower participation and increased red tape. Please tell USDA why it’s important to maintain SNAP’s focus on access to food and nutrition, and how the proposed change would cause more harm to communities. Submit comments to the USDA portal at https://bit.ly/resultsnutrition by June 14, 2024.

Keep pushing Congress to protect SNAP. The House passed its Farm Bill proposal out of committee several weeks ago but a floor vote has not been scheduled. The Senate has yet to release its bill or hold a hearing although Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow has stated she opposes cuts to SNAP. This gives us time to push back at these attacks on SNAP. Call or e-mail your House members urging them to protect and strengthen SNAP in the Farm Bill. For additional SNAP resources, including a Laser Talk and additional requests for offices who already support SNAP, please see our Community of Change page.

“Schools must be safe for all kids.” June is Pride Month, and in recognition, a new RESULTS blog post is available outlining what can be done – what must be done – to make sure LGBTQI+ youth are safe and welcomed in schools around the world. Read on.

Announcements

Join Motivational Interviewing webinar tomorrow. Are you curious about learning new ways to enhance your advocacy skills? Do you feel like there are too many barriers in place for you to have a successful lobby meeting this year? Join us to learn about Motivational Interviewing (MI), a set of helpful communication skills that foster collaboration and motivate change. MI techniques can help provide you with insight into how to be engaging, collaborative, respectful, and evocative. The webinar is tomorrow, June 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Register for MI workshop today.

Please vote in the Grassroots Board election by June 22. Time is running out for you to vote on who will be the next grassroots voice on the RESULTS Board. You have two great candidates for the open seat. Get to know candidates Elizabeth Brown and Kasapo Chibwe through their statements, candidate forum appearance, and the June National Webinar. Then please cast your ballot at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GRD2024. Voting is open through Saturday, June 22.

Triple your impact with a gift to RESULTS this spring! RESULTS is urgently working to raise $350,000. Why? We want to amplify our work on behalf of the estimated 350 million children worldwide who face undernutrition. Thanks to a generous challenge match, your donation to RESULTS will be TRIPLED until we reach our goal! This includes all donations to Friends & Family fundraisers. If you or your group has been thinking about doing a fundraiser, this is a great time to do it! If you have questions or need support, contact Director of Development Melissa Strobel. Make your special tax-deductible gift to RESULTS today.

Join Monday’s Restorative Justice and Global Conflict webinar. Global conflict is an area where oppression and poverty comingle disastrously. Advocacy in the context of violent conflict is challenging and can engender feelings of indignation and hopelessness. The DC Peace Team will help us navigate this conversation through a restorative justice approach. The webinar is Monday, June 17, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET. Space is limited and the deadline to register is June 10. Learn more and register today.

2025 RESULTS Fellowship application is now open. The RESULTS Fellowship has become one of the most powerful programs at RESULTS. Many current leaders in RESULTS started out as Fellows. We are now accepting applications for the 2025 Fellowship class. If you know someone who would make a great Fellow, please urge them to apply today.

Please submit your lobby reports. If you have not yet reported a lobby meeting in 2024, please complete the RESULTS Lobby Report Form.

Adjusted date for the July National Webinar. Because of the Independence Day holiday, the July National Webinar will be held on Saturday, July 13 at 1:00 p.m. Our guest will be Brad Fitch of the Congressional Management Foundation sharing CMF’s invaluable research on building relationships with members of Congress. Register today.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule: This week, the House and the Senate are in session.

Find these and other events on our website Events Calendar.

Wednesday, June 12: Motivational Interviewing 101, 8:00 p.m. ET. Register today.

Thursday, June 13: Outreach and Event Planning Office Hour, 2:00 p.m. ET. Drop in at https://results.zoom.us/j/94004748060, meeting ID 940 0474 8060.

Monday, June 17: Restorative Justice and Global Conflict facilitated by DC Peace Team, 8:00 p.m. ET. Register for this powerful two-hour session.

Tuesday, June 18: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET. Contact Jos Linn for more information.

Tuesday, June 18: New Advocate Orientation, 1:00 p.m. ET. Register today.

Tuesday, June 18: Together Women Rise advocacy chapter webinar, 8:30 p.m. ET. Learn more about this opportunity.

Wednesday, June 19: Juneteenth holiday. In observance, the RESULTS office is closed.

Thursday, June 20: Media Office Hour, 2:00 p.m. ET. Join via Zoom at https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or call 312-626-6799 (Meeting ID: 936 6800 5494). No registration required.

Monday, June 24: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 p.m. ET. Contact Lisa Marchal for more information.

Wednesday, June 26: Action Network Manager Calls, 12:30 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET. No registration required. Join via https://results.zoom.us/j/95416781155 or dial (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 954 1678 1155.

Thursday July 4: Independence Day holiday. In observance, the RESULTS office is closed July 4 and 5.

Saturday, July 13: National Webinar, 1:00 p.m. ET. Guest: Brad Fitch, President and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation. Register for the webinar.

Typically, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

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