U.S. Poverty Weekly Update May 1, 2018

U.S. Poverty Campaigns

Weekly Update | May 1, 2018

“Having just passed a $1.5 trillion tax cut for America’s wealthiest corporations and families, Congress would now like to help pay for this tax cut by depriving hungry families of food. Is this really who we are as a nation?”

– RESULTS Las Vegas volunteer Daria Flores in an April 30 letter to the editor in Las Vegas Sun

Quick Media Action: Tell Congress to Protect SNAP

Got Two Minutes? Confirm Your Plans for Tonight’s National Webinar about Protecting SNAP

The RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar this evening, May 1 at 8:00 pm ET. As you know, the House is moving forward with a Farm Bill that makes harmful changes to SNAP that would result in 2 million people losing all or part of their food assistance over the next decade. On the webinar, you’ll learn the latest on how you can stand up for SNAP. You’ll also hear from our grassroots on recent activities, a share from Expert on Poverty Yolanda Gordon, Grassroots Board member Maxine Thomas will talk about the upcoming Board election, and you’ll hear the latest about the upcoming RESULTS International Conference. Please join us!

TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to confirm details to participate in the RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Grassroots Webinar call this evening, May 1 at 8:00 pm ET. Coordinate with your group where you will meet for the webinar. If your group is not meeting together for it, urge your group members to join on their own. To join the webinar online, login at http://fuze.me/32255914 or dial in by phone at (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32255914#. Plan to log in or call in no later than 7:55 pm ET. Tonight’s webinar slides will be available on our National Webinars page later today.

Got Ten Minutes? Look for Meetings and Town Halls This Week

The House and Senate are on recess this week. This is the perfect time to meet with representatives and senators about protecting SNAP (formerly called food stamps) in the new Farm Bill. The House plans to vote on their version of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2, Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018) in May. As we’ve highlighted, this bill expands harmful work requirements, requiring older Americans and parents of school-age children, to work at least 20 hours per week or risk losing SNAP for 1-3 years. It increases paperwork for recipients and bureaucracy for states, while narrowing eligibility making it harder for people to get SNAP. According to Feeding America, these cuts and changes would result in 9.8 billion fewer meals being served via SNAP over the next decade. Now is the time to stand up for SNAP!

TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to contact House and Senate offices to schedule a face-to-face meeting during this week’s congressional recess. Tell them you want to talk about protecting access to food assistance under SNAP. Use our online template to submit your request today. Also ask if they are holding any town halls or public events this week (and check www.townhallproject.com regularly). If you cannot get a face-to-face meeting, ask to meet with their staff to talk about protecting SNAP. Once you get a meeting scheduled, please contact Meredith Dodson for lobby prep (also read the updated SNAP Lobby Request).  

Got Twenty Minutes? Protect SNAP with New Media (May Action)

In addition to meeting with congressional offices this week, magnify your voice by using the media to protect SNAP from these harmful changes in the House Farm Bill. Through your letters to the editor and op-eds, influence lawmakers about of the impact the House Farm Bill on low-income families and educate people in your community about the bill to rally more opposition against it.

TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to draft and submit a letter to the editor to your local paper about protecting SNAP from cuts or changes in the Farm Bill. The May Action has a sample letter, background information, links to resources, and tips for getting published. If you want more room to make the case for SNAP – and make more of an impact – write an op-ed piece (use our sample op-ed template to get started). If you need assistance, please contact Jos Linn. We’ll discuss the May Action in more detail on tonight’s National Webinar.

Help Hasten the End of Poverty

For every meeting you have, letter you write, call you make, you are bringing us one step closer to a world free of poverty. But if want to do more to accelerate the timeline, try these things.

Attend the RESULTS International Conference, (July 14-17 in Washington, DC). We know we plug, promote, beg, borrow, and plead for you to attend the Conference every year. But we don’t do this for us (the Conference is not a money-maker). We do it for you. If you are feeling disillusioned by the political process, come to the Conference. If your group is struggling, come to the Conference. If you want to ensure your voice gets heard, come to the Conference. As many of you already know, the Conference gives you the inspiration to keep going. That’s how we win. Do something good for yourself and the world – register for the Conference today!

Participate in the May Support Moms, Championing Kids online fundraising campaign. Like most things in the world, we cannot do this work without financial resources. Your help in raising funds to help finance our work is critical. Staff, webinars, the RESULTS website, trainings, the Conference, and countless other ways we support you in this work are made possible by the money we raise. Therefore, we ask that if you can help us, join this campaign – it’s quick, easy, and it works. For help in getting started, visit the campaign page or contact Grassroots Fundraising Manager Mea Geizhals. And join our Campaign Kick Off Training this Thursday, May 3 at 8:30 pm ET. Join online at: http://fuze.me/37000190 or dial (408) 610-1042, Meeting ID: 37000190#.

Quick News

Early Bird Expires in Two Weeks. The Early Bird registration fee for the RESULTS International Conference expires on May 15. Save $50 off your registration by registering today!

Nominate a New Grassroots Board Member. This summer, RESULTS volunteers will elect a new grassroots member to the Board of RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund. Grassroots Board Members provide an important bridge between the grassroots, Board and organization. They help connect the Board with what makes RESULTS unique and successful: our passionate and active grassroots members. If you want to nominate someone (or yourself) to run for this position, please e-mail Jesse Marsden no later than Monday, May 14.  Read more on the RESULTS Blog.

Nominate a Journalist for the Cameron Duncan Award. Nominate a writer or editor who demonstrates a commitment to fairly and accurately covering issues of poverty for this year’s Cameron Duncan Media Award.

Our Homes, Our Voices National Housing Week of Action. From May 1-8, advocates and residents around the country will be carrying out more than 80 Our Homes, Our Voices National Housing Week of Action events and activities in 25 states. To find events and actions happening in your community, visit www.ourhomes-ourvoices.org.  

Review the Eviction Lab. Evictions pose a major threat to housing security for many low-income families, yet little is known about the scope of evictions in the US. Author and scholar Matthew Desmond has launched the Eviction Lab to gather data and chronicle America's eviction crisis. Learn more at: evictionlab.org. 

Setting the Record Straight. Economists Darrick Hamilton and William Darity Jr. recently published a paper detailing myths about the racial wealth divide and what it will take to close the wealth gap. Their paper, What We Get Wrong About Closing the Racial Wealth Gap, debunks the ten most widely held misconceptions about closing the racial wealth gap and calls for "an accurate assessment of the causes of the disparity and imaginative action to produce systemic reform and lasting change."  

Join the Next Anti-Oppression Training Webinar. To continue our organizational focus on dismantling systemic oppression, join us for our next training webinar on Tuesday, May 15 at 9:00p m ET. We will do "cultural sketches" understand how our identities influence our values, decisions, behaviors, and opportunities. Login at http://fuze.me/33986526 or dial (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 33986526#.

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.

Upcoming U.S. Poverty staff time out of the office: Meredith Dodson, May 4 (afternoon only).

House and Senate Recess, April 30 – May 4. After any lobby meeting, please complete the RESULTS Lobby Report Form to let us know how it went.

RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, Tuesday, May 1 at 8:00 pm ET. Participate at http://fuze.me/32255914 or (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32255914#.

RESULTS May Fundraising Campaign Kick Off Training, Thursday, May 3 at 8:30 pm ET. Join online at: http://fuze.me/37000190 or dial (408) 610-1042, Meeting ID: 37000190#.

U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, Tuesday, May 15 at 1:00pm and 8:00 pm ET. Login at http://fuze.me/32256018 or dial in by phone at (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32256018#.

RESULTS Anti-Oppression Training Webinar, Tuesday, May 15 at 9:00p m ET. We will do "cultural sketches" understand how our identities influence our values, decisions, behaviors, and opportunities. Login at http://fuze.me/33986526 or dial (201) 479-4595 Meeting ID: 33986526#.

Memorial Day, Monday, May 28. All RESULTS offices closed.

2018 RESULTS International Conference, July 14-17, 2018, Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. Registration is now open – register today. Watch our new 2018 Conference video and share it (along with our flyer) with others you know!

Other Resources

Get Your RESULTS Promo Materials. If you need banners, pens, stickers, or business cards for your local RESULTS work, fill out our Materials Order Form and we’ll send them to you.

Got a Question for the RESULTS Board? If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund Board, please e-mail them to RESULTS Grassroots Board Member Steven McGee at [email protected]. View the most recently published Board minutes on the RESULTS website, as well as RESULTS’ most recent Annual Report.

Please Fill Out the Lobby Report Form. After any lobby meeting, please fill out the RESULTS Lobby Report Form to let us know how it went. When you have a meeting where both U.S. and global poverty issues are discussed, please fill it out twice.