U.S. Poverty Weekly Update October 23, 2018
U.S. Poverty Campaigns
Weekly Update | October 23, 2018
“Outside of K-State, Cole said he has been advocating to help people across the board, working with Sen. Pat Roberts, Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Roger Marshall to oppose the new guidelines for Public Charge.”
– October 15 article in the Kansas State Collegian about RESULTS Real Change Fellow Jonathan Cole
Got Two Minutes? Keep Pushing to Protect Immigrant Families
Have you submitted your comment opposing the radical change to the public charge rule? This proposed rule holds immigrant families hostage if they use SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, and other anti-poverty services. Use of these programs could jeopardize their immigration status, thus separating families, pushing people deeper into poverty, and compromising the health and well-being of millions of children.
TAKE ACTION: Take two minutes to submit your comment opposing the new public charge rule. Go to www.protectingimmigrantfamilies.org and submit your personalized comment. When you’re done, forward the link to other your know and urge them to comment as well (for messaging, use the Action Network message at the end of the October Action).
Got Ten Minutes? Keep Up Your Community Engagement (October Action)
Election day is just 14 days away and both candidates and constituents are busy getting ready. Hopefully, many of you have been talking to candidates about their priorities for addressing poverty in America (see the October Action for more). And we hope you’ve also been talking to people in your community about their plans for after the election.
Once the election is over, there are going to be a lot of people happy and disappointed with the outcome. Don’t let that energy go to waist. Help them channel their energies into action by talking to them now about your post-election plans. Remind them that no matter who wins, it is vital that their constituents continue to engage them on the issues. A person disappointed with the outcome may find hope in knowing that despite the outcome, they can still make a difference if they advocate. A person delighted with the outcome can then learn to maintain that excitement by continued involvement through advocacy.
TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to keep engaging your community during election season. Tell them you are working to meet with the newly-elected members of Congress to influence the agenda for the next Congress and hold elected officials accountable for their campaign promises. Use the October Action for assistance in engaging others in making their voices heard after the election. If you have questions, please contact Jos Linn.
Got Twenty Minutes? Keep Engaging Candidates and Set Up Meetings for after the Election (October Action)
With election day just two weeks away, not only do you want to get in front of candidates before November 6, you also want to plan for what happens next. When the election is over, a host of new members of Congress will be gearing up to take office in January. Meeting requests will flood in and everyone will be vying for their attention. Get a jump on the crowd by making the connections with “folks in the know” (friends who know the candidate; campaign volunteers, staff, and donors; media people, etc.) that can help you set up meetings now and after the election to talk about making poverty a priority in the next Congress!
If you have a competitive House or Senate race in your district or state, schedule meetings with all the candidates. If your House or Senate race is not competitive, schedule meetings with the likely winners. The key is to get on their calendar now. If you wait, your message might not get through or might get drowned out. Setting up your meetings now will send a clear message that you are taking the issues – and the candidates – seriously.
TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to keep up your candidate engagement both before and after the election. Use the October Action for guidance on what to ask candidates and their staff when you attend events before election day. Also, build the connections that will help you schedule meetings with candidates for after the election. If you have trouble finding out whom to contact, get in touch with Jos Linn for assistance. And when you get a meeting scheduled, please contact Meredith Dodson and she will set up a time to prep you for the meeting.
Quick News
Use Broadcast Media to Promote Your Local Advocacy Work. In the days before and after the midterms, it’s a chance to remind our communities that elections are essential – but only the beginning. To invite more people into action with us, how about pitching your local broadcast stations a story about the power of deep advocacy? Check out this webinar walking step-by-step through the process to get your group featured in the local news. Download this template email pitch you can edit and send to producers and reporters. If you get an interview arranged, let us know and we can set up a prep call.
RESULTS Experts on Poverty Come to DC. This past weekend, twelve Experts on Poverty traveled to DC for an intensive media training along with time to plan 2019 work and meet with twelve congressional staff. During the training, they submitted 16 media pieces to outlets across the country that featured their own lived experiences and perspectives on important anti-poverty policies. Many shared about their DC trip on social media – see the #Voices4RESULTS hashtag on Twitter and Instagram for more.
Sign Up for the 2018 VTF! Registration is now open for the 2018 Virtual Thanksgiving Feast, our fundraising campaign coming in November. Learn more and sign up to fundraise with us! For questions, contact Mea Geizhals.
Keep SNAP in the News. Although resolution on a new farm bill (and SNAP) won’t happen before the election, it’s important to keep the issue fresh in lawmakers’ minds. The Trump Administration announced last week that the President would push for the House’s harsh new work requirements in campaign speeches. Use our SNAP letter to the editor alert to remind lawmakers that the House work requirements would result in people losing SNAP, not finding work.
Help Us with Media in New States. RESULTS volunteers have again done a fabulous job at generating media. In 2018 so far, volunteers have gotten 272 media pieces in 39 states published on U.S. poverty issues – the second most successful year ever (behind 2017). That media has helped protect SNAP and Medicaid and raised awareness about the public charge rule. Help us get to all 50 states by working to get media pieces in: AL, AR, DE, GA, HI, LA, MS, RI, SC, TN, and VT. If you or someone you know lives in one of these states, get an LTE on SNAP or the public charge. And when you get published, let Jos Linn know.
Sign Your Group Up onto New SAVE for All Principles. Help build support for the new SAVE for All principles for the next Congress by signing your local RESULTS group (e.g. “RESULTS Santa Fe”) onto them.
Join Racial Wealth Divide Webinar on Thursday. Join Prosperity Now and the Institute on for a webinar this Thursday, October 25 at 2:00 pm ET on how last year’s tax cut law is causing greater inequality and widening the racial wealth divide. Sign up today.
Give Us Suggestions for the 2019 RESULTS International Conference! The 2019 RESULTS International Conference is set (July 13-16, 2019). Help us make it the best conference yet by completing our suggestion form with your ideas for speakers and sessions.
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.
U.S. Poverty Team members planned time off: Meredith Dodson, Tuesday, November 6. Jos Linn: Friday, October 26; Friday, November 2; Wednesday, November 21.
Upcoming Congressional Recesses: House: October 1-November 9; Senate: October 12-November 9.
RESULTS New Advocate Orientation, Friday, October 26 at 1:00pm ET. Get started here.
Election Day, Tuesday, November 6. Be sure to vote!
RESULTS Action Network Community of Practice webinar, Wednesday, November 7 at 8:00pm ET. To join, log in: https://results.zoom.us/j/427674133 or dial in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 427 674 133.
Veterans’ Day Holiday, Monday, November 12. All RESULTS offices closed.
RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, Tuesday, November 13 at 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.
U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, Tuesday, October 20 at 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.
RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast Fundraising Campaign, November 2018. Contact Mea Geizhals, Grassroots Fundraising Manager, with any questions and look for more information soon.
Thanksgiving Holiday Break, Thursday, November 22 – Friday, November 23. All RESULTS offices closed.
RESULTS International Conference, July 13-16, 2019. Learn more at www.resultsconference.org.
Other Resources
Learn more about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty at: https://results.org/issues/experts_on_poverty.
If you need materials (banners, pens, stickers, or business cards) for your local RESULTS work, fill out our Materials Order Form and we’ll send them to you.
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund Board, please e-mail Steven McGee at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports on our website.
Please fill out the RESULTS Lobby Report Form after any lobby meeting to let us know what happened. In meetings that cover both U.S. and global poverty issues, please fill it out twice.