U.S. Poverty Campaigns

Weekly Update | November 3, 2015

“I work full time but I still don’t make enough money to make ends meet”

– RESULTS Indianapolis volunteer and Expert on Poverty Maxine Thomas on the October 30 Tony Trupiano show

In This Week’s Update:

• Got Two Minutes? Build Momentum for Vote to End Hunger by Signing the Pledge and Engaging Candidates via Social Media
• Got Ten Minutes? Read the November Action on Urging Candidates to Prioritize Ending Poverty, and Begin Your Research
• Got Twenty Minutes? ​Help RESULTS Unlock a $10,000 Donation this November!
• Get Ready for a Final Big Push to Save Key EITC and Child Tax Credit Provisions
• Quick News
• Upcoming Events

Quick Action: Urge Congress to Protect Working Families

Got Two Minutes? Build Momentum for Vote to End Hunger by Signing the Pledge and Engaging Candidates via Social Media

As reported last month, RESULTS and several allies launched Vote to End Hunger (VTEH), a campaign to ensure that Presidential candidates are asked to prioritize ending hunger and poverty, last month in Iowa. Our November Action focuses on building the groundswell for Congressional and Presidential candidates to make ending hunger and poverty a priority. In addition to the Presidential race, there are candidates for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate that will be campaigning over the coming months, and we can engage them in a conversation about ending poverty while they are on the campaign trail.

TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to explore www.votetoendhunger.org and sign the VTEH pledge. Then, start to engage in the conversation via social media by posting on candidate Facebook pages or tweeting at candidates – for example: Hey @(insert candidate handle here): @VoteToEndHunger urges all candidates to make ending hunger & poverty a top priority for next POTUS. What’s yr plan?

Got Ten Minutes? Read the November Action on Urging Candidates to Prioritize Ending Poverty, and Begin Your Research Schedule Face-to-Face Meetings with Senators

As noted above, this is a great time to start engaging candidates – those running for President, for Senate seats, and to join the House of Representatives, prioritizing open seats and swing districts. When we have the opportunity to speak to candidates (RESULTS staff and volunteers have talked with eight different Presidential candidates about U.S. poverty issues, several repeatedly!), ask the candidate, “If elected, what will you do to end hunger, alleviate poverty, and create opportunity?” In the coming months, look for these opportunities to connect with Presidential and Congressional candidates:

• Traditional town hall meetings. Many members of Congress also do these by phone.
• County Fairs and local events are a great place to see your candidates in a fun setting. Make sure you are armed with a quality laser talk!
• Candidate forums: These are places where candidates meet to talk to an audience and take questions. These are great places to find out where candidates stand on RESULTS issues. Additionally, if their opponent attends, it can spark interesting and informative discussion.
• Debates: Often constituents and groups provide the questions used in debates. Find out if this is true in your area and submit your questions! Attend the debate and keep your ear open for RESULTS issues.

Check out our tips on candidate events and PowerPoint to increase the odds you get called upon.

TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to read through our November Action and begin reaching out to Congressional campaign offices (including current members of Congress that are running for reelection) to ask about opportunities to meet the candidates. Once you confirm a meeting with a candidate or an opportunity to attend a candidate event, contact Director of US Poverty Campaigns Meredith Dodson ([email protected]) for coaching, materials, and tailored requests. When you have the opportunity, ask the candidate, “If elected, what will you do to end hunger, alleviate poverty, and create opportunity?”

Got Twenty Minutes? Help RESULTS Unlock a $10,000 Donation this November!

Longtime volunteer and donor, Peter Fiekowsky has put forward a challenge match for Grassroots Fundraising this month.

If we can collectively raise over $25,000 through Friends & Family campaigns from Nov 1-Nov 30, Peter will contribute an additional $10,000 to RESULTS.

Join him in raising the funds RESULTS’ needs to power its work by the end of the year.

TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to help us meet our $100,000 goal through our simple Friends & Family Campaigns! Here are the three easy steps to get you started:

1. Set a goal for the amount you want to raise.

2. Create your own Friends and Family Fundraising page. Online resources can be found on the website to help make your planning of your friends and family fundraising page easier to manage. Here are the options available:

• Friends and Family: A page for general fundraising outreach
• Celebrations: In honor of a birthday, milestone, holiday, etc.
• 35th Anniversary: Celebrating RESULTS 35th Anniversary
• Virtual Thanksgiving Page: Using the Thanksgiving holiday to fundraise
• Race to End Poverty: Use a physical challenge such as a walk or run to fundraise

Of course, if you prefer to do a letter campaign we can help you do that too.

3. Invite your friends and family to donate to RESULTS through your page or mailed in.

If you have questions, please contact Jen DeFranco ([email protected]) or Jerusa Contee ([email protected]) for assistance.

Get Ready for a Final Big Push to Save Key EITC and Child Tax Credit Provisions

So far this year, RESULTS volunteers have generated 159 U.S. poverty media pieces and discussed key U.S. campaign issues in 108 face-to-face meetings with members of Congress, along with hundreds of conversations with Congressional staff. This month we’ll continue raising our voices to save key Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit provisions, and may need to put our candidate outreach on hold if Congress moves on tax legislation – which could happen as a part of highway legislation (the current highway authorization ends November 20) or a final spending bill (the current “Continuing Resolution” expires December 11). On the November 2015 RESULTS National Conference Call, we’ll discuss strategies to engage candidates along with the latest on tax legislation. To join the meeting online, login at http://fuze.me/28130766. If you cannot join online, dial in by phone at (201) 479-4595, meeting ID: 28130766#.

TAKE ACTION: If you have a half-written op-ed, an editorial writer you’ve been meaning to follow up with, or an outstanding request to meet with members of Congress, don’t wait – your work has been making a difference and we need to keep up the pressure. Congress will be on recess November 21-29, and the House has an additional recess next week. Use our RESULTS Elected Officials page to contact schedulers to see if you can get a meeting to talk about the EITC and CTC (see our sample meeting request as well). The October Action has talking points to help you prepare for a meeting with members of Congress. Want to add to our record-breaking media year? Use our online letter to the editor alert to send your letter today. If you’d like to up your game with an op-ed or editorial, see the September Action and contact Jos Linn for coaching and assistance ([email protected]).

RESULTS Grassroots Network is Expanding

Last night, five people signed up to start a new RESULTS group at Kansas State University, and people are gathering this evening in Kansas City to start a new RESULTS group there. Meanwhile, new RESULTS groups in Memphis and Raleigh are in training, and we are planning outreach to build our network in Chicago, Atlanta, several Alabama communities, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge before the end of the year. Want to plug in? Let us know, and urge friends to join the next RESULTS Introductory Call, November 11, at 9:00 pm ET. If you want to learn more about RESULTS, register for an upcoming Intro Call on the RESULTS website.

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: November 6-15; Senate: November 21-29. Request face-to-face meetings.

RESULTS Introductory Call, November 11, 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 National Webinar, November 14 at 12:30 pm ET. Join the meeting online at http://fuze.me/28130766 or dial in by phone at (201) 479-4595, meeting ID: 28130766#. Listen to previous conference calls and meetings on our National Webinars page.

RESULTS U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, November 17 at 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join online at: http://fuze.me/27491886; or by phone at (201) 479-4595 and enter Meeting ID: 27491886. For more information, contact Jos Linn ([email protected]).

Thanksgiving Holiday, November 26. All RESULTS offices closed November 26 and 27.

2016 RESULTS International Conference, June 25-28, 2016 in Washington, DC. Save the dates!

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/. ​