Archive for December, 2007
This Saturday in Plymouth, MI, 42 ONE members from the area came together to learn more about ONE’s issues and ways to get more involved. With some help from my pals Annisa Wanat (ONE Field Organizer in Chicago), Monét Cooper (Communications Coordinator for Jubilee USA) and several very active RESULTS volunteers from the area, our training was a great success. Not only was this an educational opportunity but it was also a great way for members to see others that are passionate about making a difference in the world.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that there are over 2.4 million ONE members out there. If you want to connect with other members in your community, contact your region’s ONE field organizer. Events and activities are much easier to plan when you’ve got some help.
-Katie Andrews, ONE Regional Organizer
Dec 13th, 2007 11:49 AM UTC
By Field
We met with Senator John McCain in North Augusta. SC, on Tuesday. Attorney General Henry McMaster and our Senator Lindsey Graham also attended the event. We thanked Senator McCain for going on-the-record. He thanked us in response and said that he enjoyed the opportunity.
-Wes Mishoe
Dec 13th, 2007 11:49 AM UTC
By Field
Sen. McCain hosted a town hall meeting with Red Sox pitching ace Curt Schilling last week. I went with some ONE members to make sure that the poorest people on Earth were represented here in the cold and snowy Granite State.
When we got there, I noticed Sean who volunteers for McCain and always wears his ONE band. ONE member Andrea, spoke with the McCain Blogettes, Megan and La-Toria who said that they love the ONE Campaign. Meghan McCain said that she wears her ONE band all the time.
Although we were unable to ask a question about how Sen. McCain would fight global malaria – death from a bug bite that kills over a million people each year, mostly in Africa, and mostly children – we were able to talk with both Sen. McCain and Curt Schilling after the event. Andrea explained the ONE Campaign to Curt and gave him a ONE band.
Sen. McCain complemented ONE and said that he sees ONE everywhere.
-Matthew Bartlett, ONE Regional Organizer
The Dorgan-Grassley Amendment to the Farm Bill just missed having enough votes to pass the Senate. It needed 60 votes and fell short by just 4 votes. So close.
-Erin Erlenbron
There has been a threat to filibuster the Dorgan-Grassley Amendment to the Farm Bill. Now the amendment needs 60 votes instead of 50, which will make it much harder to pass.
Currently the vote is scheduled for 9:15 AM tomorrow. Please take a moment to call your senator now.
Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Sample phone script:
I am from [location]. I support farm bill reform. As a voter and member of the ONE Campaign, I urge Senator [name] to vote ‘YES’ on the Dorgan-Grassley Payment Limits Amendment. This amendments provide real reform that will help struggling farmers in America and around the world.
Thank you.
Los Angeles: Trained
This past Saturday ONE volunteers came out for an advocacy training in Los Angeles. Hosted at the University of Southern California, over 65 people gave up some holiday shopping time to come out and learn how they can make a difference in the fight against extreme poverty.
Volunteers learned about ONE’s history and mission as well as coming together to brainstorm and plan future ONE LA activities. There were some great ideas on how to recruit new members to the campaign, educate their community on the issues of global poverty, and encouraging the presidential candidates to be leaders in the fight for the world’s poorest people. Amy Quinn, one of LA’s most active volunteers, said that, “It was so exciting to see so many new faces at the training, 2008 will be the best yet for ONE LA!”
ONE’s allies CARE and Heifer International were also present at the event, sending representatives to share their unique stories with attendees. John Bostick, who along with his wife was named Heifer International’s “Volunteers of the Year” for their region, spoke at the training. John spoke of Heifer’s innovative programs to fight hunger and poverty around the world and the amazing effect of “Passing on the Gift.” When Heifer International provides an animal to a family it not only provides an income, food, and self sufficiency but the family also gives offspring to others in need within their community. This creates a cycle of sustainability that usually provides animals, knowledge, and skills to five or six families for each initial animal that is given.
Edward Kibirige from CARE also spoke about the organization’s work in the developing world and their special emphasis on women as part of their “I Am Powerful” Campaign. Women and children are disproportionately affected by extreme poverty and focusing on helping women lift themselves out of poverty can create lasting change in their communities. Edward also asked attendees to try and consider living on one dollar a day and how daunting it would feel to try and raise your family with so few resources. He noted that no one would have been able to attend the training that day because travel and parking cost well over one dollar.
All in all, the training was a success! Volunteers came together to find out how they can make a difference in the fight against extreme poverty and they found out that working together as ONE, we really can make poverty history!
-Kim Smith, ONE Field Organizer
Today or tomoorrow, the Senate is expected to vote on the Dorgan-Grassley Payment Limits Amendment to the Farm Bill. If passed, the amendment would help create a level playing field for small, family farmers by closing loopholes that in the past have skewed funding to the largest producers.
Please take a moment to call your senator and ask him or her to support the Dorgan-Grassley Amendment.
Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Sample phone script:
I am from [location]. I support Farm Bill reform. As a voter and member of the ONE Campaign, I urge Senator [name] to vote ‘YES’ on the Dorgan-Grassley Payment Limits Amendment. This amendment would provide real reform that will help struggling farmers in America and around the world.
Thank you.
Also, just as an update, the Lugar-Lautenberg Farm Ranch Equity Stewardship and Health (FRESH) Amendment failed to pass the Senate yesterday. (Vote was 37 to 58.) We knew the FRESH Act was a long shot, but it was worth fighting for because it would have provided real reform and helped millions of people living in extreme poverty.
-Erin Erlenborn
