U.S. Poverty Weekly Update April 5, 2016
U.S. Poverty Weekly Update April 5, 2016
“Let’s get childless workers out of poverty.”
– RESULTS Santa Fe volunteer Dona McDermott in a March 14 letter to the editor in the Santa Fe New Mexican
- Got Two Minutes? Prepare for the U.S. Poverty National Webinar this Saturday at 12:30 pm ET
- Got Ten Minutes? Submit an Op-ed about Protecting Anti-Poverty Programs (April Action)
- Got Twenty Minutes? With This Line-Up of Speaker, Why Not Register for the RESULTS Conference Today?
- Keep Looking for Town Halls This Week
- Quick News
- Upcoming Events
Quick Action: Build on Recent Tax Victory – Urge Congress to Expand the EITC and Child Tax Credit
| Take Action! |
Got Two Minutes? Prepare for the U.S. Poverty National Webinar this Saturday at 12:30 pm ET
We’re looking forward to a great National Webinar this Saturday, April 9 at 12:30 pm ET. With Congress returning to Washington this month (the Senate this week, the House next week), we’ll focus our efforts this month on generating media around budget and poverty discussions in DC and their impact on poverty in America. On Saturday’s webinar, we are pleased to welcome guest speaker Veronica Flores-Paniagua, editorial writer for the Houston Chronicle, who will share her insights and experience with us on how best to generate media this month. We’ll also discuss the April Action, do a media training, hear shares from the grassroots, and talk about the upcoming RESULTS International Conference. Please plan to join us.
TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to remind your local RESULTS group about the RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Conference call this Saturday, April 9 at 12:30 pm ET. Coordinate with your group where you will meet for the call. To join this Fuze webinar online, login at http://fuze.me/32255914; if you cannot join online, you can dial in by phone at (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32255914# (remember, these are new Fuze access numbers we just started using last month). Plan to log in or call in no later than 12:25 pm ET. If you have questions about Fuze or how to log in, please contact Jos Linn at [email protected]. We will have the April 2016 National Webinar slides available later this week in the Take Action box on the RESULTS Homepage.
Got Ten Minutes? Submit an Op-ed about Protecting Anti-Poverty Programs (April Action)
Earlier this year, House Speaker Paul Ryan created a Task Force on Poverty, Opportunity, and Upward Mobility at a time when some policymakers and candidates have a renewed interest in addressing poverty in America. While the outcome and timing of this effort is not clear, this month is an important time to speak out about proven policies that will make a big difference in addressing poverty in America. Speaker Ryan and President Obama have both proposed to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a top priority for RESULTS, but unfortunately Speaker Ryan and others have also proposed drastic changes to other anti-poverty programs, notably SNAP (formerly Food Stamps). The more attention we can bring to these policies, the better chance we have of influencing these discussions in Washington.
In April, we’re going to use the media to do this, specifically get op-eds and editorials published about addressing poverty in a meaningful way in budget negotiations and the Poverty Task Force discussions. With many members of Congress up for re-election this year (all House members and 1/3 of all Senators), their attention to the media will be at a fever pitch. Get their attention by generating media this month, urging them to make ending poverty a priority this year, next year, and every year until it’s done.
TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to read through the April Action and start outlining your-op-ed. The Action Sheet has talking points and background information to help you. In addition, we will discuss getting media published on this weekend’s National Webinar. Once you have an outline, start writing your op-ed. If you need help with your draft or someone to proofread your work, or if you'd like help requesting an editorial on these issues from your local paper, please contact Jos Linn ([email protected]) for assistance. As always, if and when you get published, let Jos know so we can celebrate your success!
Got Twenty Minutes? With This Line-Up of Speaker, Why Not Register for the RESULTS Conference Today?
What exciting news we have about this year’s RESULTS International Conference! We’ve just confirmed in the last few days that Tavis Smiley and Paul Farmer will be speaking at this year’s Conference. Here’s why we’re thrilled these influential people are able to join us:
- Dr. Paul Farmer, physician and anthropologist, is chief strategist and co-founder of Partners In Health, Kolokotrones University Professor and chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and chief of the Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He also serves as U.N. Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Community-based Medicine and Lessons from Haiti. Dr. Farmer has written extensively on health, human rights, and the consequences of social inequality.
- From his celebrated conversations with world figures to his work to inspire the next generation of leaders, Tavis Smiley — broadcaster, author, publisher, advocate, and philanthropist — has emerged as an outstanding voice for change. Smiley is the host of the late-night television talk show Tavis Smiley on PBS, as well as The Tavis Smiley Show from Public Radio International (PRI). TIME magazine has cited Smiley as one of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People,” and Mr. Smiley has been honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
These two great speakers will join author and activist Barbara Ehrenreich, anti-hunger advocate and former ambassador Tony Hall, our inspiring Experts on Poverty, and others this year in DC (June 25-28). You can see the full list of speakers on our Conference website. These sessions, along with our top-notch training and issue workshops, will have you spinning in delight and ready to have an amazing Advocacy Day on June 28. Who would want to miss all that?
TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to register for the 2016 RESULTS International Conference. If you’re an active RESULTS volunteer, it’s only $125 to register, as long as you do it before April 30. Why wait – this is going to be a great event and we want you there. Go to www.resultsconference.org and register today!
Keep Looking for Town Halls This Week
It has become commonplace to expect less from members of Congress during an election year. We accept that most of their time will be spent campaigning for re-election. But that paradigm doesn’t have to be true. You can change the narrative by meeting with them and attending their events to say, “I expect you to make ending poverty a priority, now.” But you can’t do that unless you meet with them.
Thank you to everyone who has worked to meet with their members of Congress during the spring recesses. If you have not gotten a meeting yet, there’s still time; House members are still home on recess. Decisions about this year’s budget will be made in the next few weeks so you want to make sure they know exactly what you expect them to do. This is the time to meet with them in sit-down meetings or town halls to talk about their plans to reduce poverty in America.
TAKE ACTION: Take a few minutes this week to contact your House schedulers about town halls they may be holding this week. You can find scheduler names, contact info, and website addresses on our Elected Officials page. Once you find an event you plan to attend (or schedule a sit-down meeting), please contact Meredith Dodson ([email protected]) to set up a lobby prep call to help you get ready. And please don’t forget to fill out the RESULTS Lobby Report Form after your meeting.
Quick News
SNAP “ABAWD” Update. Following up from our blog post last week, an estimate 500,000 to a million people will lose their eligibility for SNAP beginning this month. 22 states are choosing not to renew waivers defer strict time limits on SNAP eligibility (3 months out of every 3 years) for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs), many of whom are experiencing the deepest poverty in our communities. The cruelty of these time limits and the irrationality of calling them a ‘work incentive’ are being criticized by advocates everywhere. Take the April Action by using the media to tell Congress to protect SNAP. You can also use our online media alert to send a letter to the editor urging Congress to protect hungry Americans on SNAP.
Nominate a Volunteer for the RESULTS Board. RESULTS is looking for the next grassroots member for the RESULTS & RESULTS Educational Fund Grassroots Board. Grassroots Board Members play a vital role in RESULTS, representing you the volunteer on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Boards of RESULTS/REF. We are seeking nominations of RESULTS activists for this role. We encourage participation from any active RESULTS volunteer including those from diverse populations including young adults and racial and ethnic minorities. Eligible candidates must have at least one year active experience as a RESULTS volunteer in the United States. Nominations of candidates for the open Grassroots Board Member position must reach the RESULTS office by Monday, May 2. Candidates can nominate themselves or be nominated by any active RESULTS grassroots member. Please e-mail your nomination to [email protected].
Upcoming Events
Go to the RESULTS Events Calendar to see a full list of RESULTS events. Also, find a list of the RESULTS U.S. Poverty staff with contact information on the RESULTS website.
Congressional Recesses: House: March 24 – April 11. Senate: May 2 – 6. Request face-to-face meetings. After your meeting, please tell us how it went by filling out the RESULTS Lobby Report Form: www.tinyurl.com/RESLRF.
RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, April 9 at 12:30 pm ET. Join the meeting online at http://fuze.me/32255914; or by phone at (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32255914#. Listen to previous webinars on our National Webinars page.
RESULTS Introductory Call, April 13, at 9:00 pm ET. If you want to learn more about RESULTS, register for an upcoming Intro Call on the RESULTS website.
RESULTS U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, April 21 at 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join online at http://fuze.me/32256018 or by phone at: (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32256018#.
2016 RESULTS International Conference, June 25-28, 2016 in Washington, DC. Register now at www.resultsconference.org!
If you have a question, comment or suggestion for the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund Board, please e-mail them to RESULTS Grassroots Board Member Lydia Pendley at [email protected]. You can download RESULTS’ most recent Annual Report at: https://results.org/about/annual_report/.