U.S. Poverty Weekly Update November 12, 2019
Quote of the Week
“As a high school senior, I feel bombarded with SAT testing and college application essays. I can only imagine how the demanding life responsibilities of parents hinder staying afloat financially.”
– RESULTS Cascade, WA volunteer Olivia Boulet in an November 8 letter to the editor in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald
Got Two Minutes? Call and E-mail Congress about Expanding the EITC and CTC (November Action)
Did you call your senators last week about expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit? If you did, thank you. If you didn’t, you still can. Congress will be making decisions about the timing of a final budget and tax legislation in the next week. The more calls and e-mails we generate urging them to prioritize the EITC and CTC in any new tax bill, the more likely it will happen.
TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to call and e-mail your members of Congress about expanding the EITC and CTC in any new tax legislation. First, call both your using this toll-free number (888) 678-9475 (thanks to MomsRising for providing it) and leave this message with the receptionist:
My name is ___________ and I am a constituent from __________________. I am concerned that Congress may try to pass a tax bill this fall that again ignores low-income workers and families. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) lift more families and children out of poverty than any other program – and we should focus on expanding these credits to help families make ends meet. Will you please tell Senator ______________________ that any tax package that passes this year must include improvements to the EITC and CTC?
After you call, use our online alert to send an e-mail with a similar message to everyone in your congressional delegation. Be sure to urge others you know to call and e-mail too.
Got Ten Minutes? Maximize the Impact of Your EITC/CTC Advocacy (November Action)
The House has returned from recess and there is much work to get done. All the media attention will focus on the House’s impeachment hearings this week, but other priorities must be dealt with too. As noted on last week’s National Webinar, Congress has until November 21 to finalize the FY2020 budget. Any tax bill would be included in this budget agreement. Negotiations have been slow, so Congress is likely to push the deadline back to December or beyond. This, however, in no way means we should let down in our advocacy for the EITC and CTC.
This month, we ask that you think about what would be most strategic in your advocacy on the EITC and CTC. Not just what is strategic for your members of Congress, but also for you. Pushing the same issue for a long period of time is both necessary and tiresome. The November Action has ideas that can help you overcome that.
TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to take the November Action. What strategic actions can you take this month to help us get an expansion of the EITC and CTC? Have you met with members of Congress or their local staff lately? Have you talked to tax aides or gotten media published? These actions (and more) can make a strong impression on lawmakers. Also, what can you do that is can be fun, inspiring, and rewarding for you? Doing a new and challenging action (or an old one in a new and challenging way) that involves other people is just the ticket. See the Action for more information and if you want help in brainstorming ideas for actions that will impact lawmakers and you, please contact Jos Linn.
Got Twenty Minutes? Join the Virtual Thanksgiving Feast
RESULTS’ annual Virtual Thanksgiving Feast (VTF) is underway! The VTF is RESULTS’ fall peer-to-peer online fundraising campaign – a chance to raise needed funds for our work to end poverty and spread the word about your great advocacy work. Over the years, money raised by you – our grassroots – has been critical in supporting the successful work needed to end poverty. And the great thing about VTF is that it’s so easy. You set up your page and ask people to donate. That’s it. If you’re new to fundraising with RESULTS, try it and watch what happens. If this is not your first rodeo, join in and show us how it’s done.
TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to join the 2019 RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast. Find materials and learn more at https://results.org/donate/fundraise/ under Online Campaign and get started at https://results.salsalabs.org/vtf2019. Contact Mea Geizhals at [email protected] or 202-783-4800 x131 with any questions. Thank you and good luck!
Quick News
Attend RESULTS Public Grassroots Board Meeting Tonight! If you have thoughts, ideas, and questions about the present and future of RESULTS, the RESULTS Grassroots Board Members want to hear from you. Join their first quarterly public meeting tonight, November 12 at 9:00 pm ET at https://results.zoom.us/j/292096907 or dial either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 292 096 907#.
Last Day to Take the National Webinar Survey. Help us improve our national webinars by taking a few minutes to complete our national webinars survey. The deadline is TODAY!
Let us know your stats. If you have outstanding lobby meetings, media, or outreach you have not told us about, please do so by this Friday, November 15.
SNAP Saves Lives… Literally. Read about new research showing the correlation between SNAP participation and mortality rates.
Upcoming Events
Congressional Recesses. Both the House and Senate will be on recess November 25-29. Submit your meeting requests today.
Thursdays, October 17-November 21: New Volunteer Advocacy Training, 12:00 pm and 8:30 pm ET. Learn more and register for sessions here.
November 1-November 30: RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast Fundraising Campaign. Learn more here.
Tuesday, November 12: Public Grassroots Board Meeting, 9:00 pm ET. Join via Zoom online at https://results.zoom.us/j/292096907 or dial either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 292 096 907#.
Tuesday, November 19: U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/324294681 or dial by phone at (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 324 294 681.
Thursday, November 28-Friday, November 29: Thanksgiving holiday break. All RESULTS offices closed.
Tuesday, December 3: RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801. Find recordings and slides from previous webinars on the National Webinars page.
June 20-23, 2020: RESULTS International Conference. Capital Hilton, Washington, DC. More details coming soon.
Other Resources
Learn more about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
Do you have a new person in your RESULTS group or info to update? Use our Volunteer Information Form to add them.
Find recently recorded advocacy trainings on the RESULTS Training Webinars page.
Report your Grassroots Successes: (please update all your advocacy activities by Friday, November 15)
- What happened at your last lobby meeting?
- What media have you gotten published? (see 2019 media pieces on our Media Tools page)
- Have you reached out to new people lately?
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Steven McGee at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.
RESULTS Staff directory.