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Advocacy for the Rest of Us

Advocacy for the Rest of Us. Goals: Skills for you to make a positive difference for your food program and your community Resources to help you be an effective advocate with state & federal legislators – and connect to other effective advocates. Ice Breaker.

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Advocacy for the Rest of Us

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  1. Advocacy for the Rest of Us Goals: Skills for you to make a positive difference for your food program and your community Resources to help you be an effective advocate with state & federal legislators – and connect to other effective advocates

  2. Ice Breaker One thing that makes you nervous about advocacy One thing you hope to learn during this session

  3. What is advocacy? Working to influence public policy to create systemic or institutional change In other words: Speaking up on an issue you care about

  4. Listen to your clients • How many of you have heard from clients that their food stamps were cut? • How many of you hear from clients about how many jobs they are working? • How many of you hear about various other hardships your clients are groping with? • What do you do with that info? What do you tell them?

  5. Questions we ask • Is this good policy? • Can we afford it? • Is it a priority? • Is there popular support? • Each of these questions has a political answer.

  6. what’s The plan? • Advocacy is most effective when your goal is shared - build alliances with others who share your vision: • Use common messages and strategies with other anti-hunger efforts. • Find allies with different perspectives on that same vision - “unusual suspects” get attention.

  7. Developing an Effective Message: • Who are you? • What is your issue? • Why do you care? • Why should your lawmaker care? • What do you specifically want your lawmaker to do?

  8. How to reach lawmakers • Visit their office, either locally, in Olympia or both (Hunger Action Day is a great day to come down) • Call or email in response to action alerts • Invite them to your program (site visit) • Make a video • Fact sheets • Client/empty fridge campaign • Tell your organization’s story – capacity, challenges and needs along with successes

  9. Lobby Days • Lobby days are a great way to start! • Lobby days are organized by an issue (e.g. Hunger Action Day) or an organization (WA’s PTA or United Way) • Lobby days typically involve some training and/or an opportunity to meet your legislators

  10. Hearings and Office Visits • Go to Olympia during session, or even DC! It’s great to see democracy in action – and to show lawmakers that you want to be part of that action. • Meeting with staff is just as good as meeting with your lawmaker (staff know a lot about the issues and often have more time).

  11. PHONE CALLS • Prepare your message before you dial • Keep it brief but personal • Nervous? Call after hours!

  12. writing • A handwritten letter is more effective than an email (exception: federal officials) • If you are writing an email, the subject line is critical: make your issue clear right off • If you are signing a form email or petition, BEGIN with a personal message

  13. Site Visits • Meeting outside of session is the best way to develop a relationship – meeting when you don’t want something from them is even better. • Invite lawmakers to your food bank, a meal program, etc.: somewhere that shows them your work and impact on your community

  14. Engage your clients • Collect stories • Have a client talk to a legislator • Educate clients about issues that affect them • Host your own focus group of clients to gather stories and feedback

  15. Engage your community • SNAP Challenge • Letter campaign • Food bank alumni campaign? • Get your board members involved • Invite other service agencies to come when your legislator comes to visit your program • Write an op-ed for your local paper

  16. hunger advocacy organizations in Washington: • Washington Food Coalition: Julie Washburn • Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition, staff: Claire Lane, WithinReach • Northwest Harvest, public policy manager: Christina Wong • Children’s Alliance, food policy director: Linda Stone • Food Lifeline (western WA), public policy coordinator: Katharine Ryan

  17. Tools and Resources • Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition • http://www.wsahnc.org/tools-for-advocates/#.UQCl5-_kJ0Q • Northwest Harvest • http://www.northwestharvest.org/legislative-updates • Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) • http://frac.org/

  18. Thank you for speaking up!

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