RESULTS Weekly Update September 10, 2024

Quote of the Week

“Optimism is the belief that things will get better. Hope is the belief that if we work hard enough together, we can make things better.”

– Congressman Derek Kilmer on the September RESULTS National Webinar (quoting Rabbi Jonathan Sacks)

Table of Contents

• N4G Letter: Help us get 100 signers by Thursday!
• Election engagement: Rep. Kilmer confirms your advocacy matters; use new poverty data to start your Double/50 media
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

N4G Letter: Help us get 100 signers by Thursday!

Two more days! That’s how much time we have to maximize the number of signatures on the House Nutrition for Growth Dear Colleague letter. The letter calls on the U.S. to make a bold, early pledge to end malnutrition in advance of the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris in March 2025. The deadline to sign on is this Thursday, September 12 and we have been told it will not be extended. With the U.N. General Assembly gathering this week, we have the opportunity to send a strong message that the U.S. government wants action on global malnutrition.

We are currently at 51 signatures, but if we push hard these last few days, we can double that. Will you help us get there?

TAKE ACTION: Urge your representatives to sign the House Dear Colleague letter of support for the Nutrition for Growth Summit. We need as many signatures as possible before the deadline this Thursday, September 12.

Election engagement: Rep. Kilmer confirms your advocacy matters; use new poverty data to start your Double/50 media

Thank you to Congressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA-6), our guest speaker on the September RESULTS National Webinar this past weekend. Rep. Kilmer was inspiring, reminding us that when grassroots volunteers are engaged and informed, they can make a huge difference. For example, he said that he prepares answers for poverty-related questions at public events because he knows RESULTS volunteers will show up and ask them.

He also said that lawmakers pay attention to local news. We know that too. The 300 media pieces RESULTS volunteers got published through August helped us nearly pass a bipartisan Child Tax Credit expansion. It also helped us secure an historic U.S. pledge for Gavi.

Now we have launched our “Double/50” media campaign. This campaign is part of our broader election engagement campaign to make poverty an election issue. Between September 1 and December 31, we will double the number of media pieces for the year from 300 to 600 and get at least one media piece published in all 50 states. Double/50. It’s aggressive but achievable. And it is needed. If we want candidates and the new Congress to take our issues seriously, we need to make them unavoidable. Media does that.

And this is an important week to start writing and submitting letter and op-eds. This morning, the U.S. Census released its annual poverty data for 2023. According to the more accurate Supplemental Poverty Measure, poverty rose by 0.5 percent to 12.9 percent in 2023. Child poverty also increased by 1.3 percent to 13.7 percent. This shows that Congress is not doing enough to help the millions of families still struggling to make ends meet. Fortunately, the Child Tax Credit lifted 2.4 million people above the poverty line last year and SNAP lifted 3.4 million people. However, these numbers are still only a fraction of the people helped when the expanded CTC and increased SNAP benefits were in place in 2021. Use the data release as a hook for letters showing that policy choices matter.

Another good hook for media this week is tonight’s presidential debate. It will be covered relentlessly by the media all week long. Watch for questions and answers tonight related to poverty, the costs of basic needs, housing, etc. Then submit letters urging candidates to do more about poverty.

TAKE ACTION: Join the Double/50 media campaign by submitting your first letters to the editor and op-eds this week. Remember, we want 300 media pieces by the end of the year, including at least one in all 50 states. Use our online media templates to get started. Also, keep looking for opportunities to talk to candidates directly about our anti-poverty priorities. Use our Community of Change page (under “Make Elections about Poverty”) to take action now and get candidates and incumbents on the record on our issues. If you have questions, please contact RESULTS staff.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Join U.S. Poverty Forum: “The United States of Hunger.” On Thursday, September 19 at 1:00 p.m. ET, join us for “The United States of Hunger”, where we will discuss the persistent issue of food insecurity. Nutrition is one of the essential pillars of basic needs, yet millions of American still struggle to access healthy, nutritious food. This RESULTS U.S. Poverty Forum will look at current government dietary guidelines and economic reality. Attendees will get an insight into how food insecurity affects public health and health outcomes. Please join us to explore and discuss the root causes of hunger in our communities. Register today.

Keep pushing for Gavi co-sponsors. We continuing to gather co-sponsors for resolutions supporting Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This is in advance of the full pledging conference that is also expected to be in 2025. At a recent pre-pledging conference, the Biden Administration pledged at least $1.58 billion for Gavi over five years. We need more co-sponsors to the House and Senate Gavi resolutions to help us see this through. Please ask your legislators to co-sponsor the Gavi resolutions (S.Res.684 and H.Res.1286). Use our online action today to make your Gavi resolution requests.

Read (and watch) about the importance of Nutrition for Growth. As we work to build support for the House global nutrition letter, read a blog post from RESULTS’ Dorothy Monza on the critical opportunity to end malnutrition through Nutrition for Growth. And watch the recent policy forum on global nutrition, also led by Dorothy Monza.

Announcements

Motivational Interviewing training starts tomorrow! Want to build bridges with lawmakers? Want to effectively talk to people who disagree with you? Please join us for our updated “Motivational Interviewing: Getting unstuck with your members of Congress” series. Dr. Dave Christian, Ph.D., P.C., who has trained in Motivational Interviewing (MI) for years, will again lead these six monthly sessions, where you will gain skills using MI for effective dialogue with lawmakers you struggle to move into action. These trainings include new and impactful research conducted on MI. The series begins tomorrow, September 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Register today!

September Election Engagement Office Hours start. As we are only two months away from Election Day, we must educate candidates and our community on the reality of poverty and the policies to end it. In addition to our election engagement online resources, get direct coaching from RESULTS staff at an election engagement office hour. Join us September 10, 12, 16, 19, and 24 (times vary). There is no need to register; simply join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/97873811515. Check the calendar below each week for times. We must be ready to boost campaign messages that uplift the needs of people experiencing poverty!

Join the Building Resilience as Advocates webinar. As dedicated advocates, we often need to harness the skills to navigate stress, anxiety, and frustration. Join us to learn and practice these skills at our workshop, “Building Resilience as Advocates, from a Trauma Informed Care Approach.” This interactive workshop invites you to further develop resilience while facing the difficulties of advocacy work from a trauma-informed perspective. Participants can build upon previously learned effective coping strategies that are essential for surviving in today’s chaotic world. Please join us. The webinar is Wednesday, September 25, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET. Register for the webinar today.

Thursday’s media training is postponed. Due to low registrations, the September 12 “Centering lived poverty experience in the media” webinar is postponed. We look forward to bringing you this training on a future date.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule: The House and the Senate are both in session this week.

Find these and other events on our website Events Calendar.

Wednesday, September 11: Motivational Interviewing training, session 1, 8:00 p.m. ET. Register now for this terrific series.

Thursday, September 12: Outreach and Event Office Hour, 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET. Drop in at https://results.zoom.us/j/94004748060 or call (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 940 0474 8060.

Thursday, September 12: Election Engagement Office Hour, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET. Drop in any time to https://results.zoom.us/j/97873811515; no need to register. More dates and times upcoming.

Thursday, September 12: Global Allies (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers) Advocacy Partnership Webinar, 8:30 p.m. ET. Learn more.

Monday, September 16: Election Engagement Office Hour, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET. Drop in any time to https://results.zoom.us/j/97873811515; no need to register. More dates and times upcoming.

Tuesday, September 17: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET. Contact Jos Linn for more information.

Wednesday, September 18: 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 call (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 954 1678 1155.

Wednesday, September 18: Media Office Hour, 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or call (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 936 6800 5494.

Wednesday, September 18: RESULTS Organizing and Advocacy Fellowship Information Session, 6:00 p.m. ET. Register today.

Wednesday, September 18: New Advocate Orientation, 8:30 p.m. ET. Registration is open.

Thursday, September 19: U.S. Poverty Policy Forum – “The United States of Hunger,” 1:00 p.m. ET. Register now.

Monday, September 23: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 p.m. ET. Contact Lisa Marchal.

Tuesday, September 24: Together Women Rise Advocacy Chapter, 8:30 p.m. ET. Read more.

Wednesday, September 25: Building Resilience as Advocates, from a Trauma Informed Care Approach, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET. Register today.

Saturday, October 5: National Webinar, 1:00 p.m. ET. Guest: Grecia Lima from Community Change Action. Register for the webinar.

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

Grassroots Resources

• EOPs: Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
• Actions and volunteer resources: Visit our Volunteers Hub, including our anti-oppression resources. To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected].
• Please report your actions. Remember to please report your recent advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities. Also, use our form to add to/edit your info and to sign up for updates and alerts.
• Share your story. If you have an inspiring story about advocacy, please tell us about it. Also, if you want to celebrate the actions of a new volunteer, sharing about the experience.
• Questions for the Board? If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.
• Staff and jobs: RESULTS Staff directory and job postings.