Minnesota’s New Friend in Zambia

This week a very special guest came to visit Minnesota from the other side of the globe. Pastor Lawrence Temfwe, the Executive Director of Jubilee Centre in Zambia, along with Jason Filleta of Micah Challenge came to Minnesota to speak out for those who are struggling against global poverty and preventable disease.

The trip started with a meeting, along with 5 other local ONE members, at Congressman Jim Ramstad’s office with Heather Renner, the Director of Communications and Relations. We had lunch with some local members in Minneapolis to answer questions and encourage action. We then had a meeting with Rev. Nancy Maeker of the Minnesota Council of Churches and Acting Director of A Minnesota Without Poverty. Following, a meeting with Kathy Stinchfield, Development Director, Mike Llyod, Executive Director, and Richard Proudfit, Founder, of Kids Against Hunger in New Hope. He also attended a prayer supper in Saint Paul with local faith leaders educate and motivate attendees to practice what they preach, as he has said with local church leaders in Zambia. Jason Filleta talked about Micah Challenge and the resources that they and ONE have including ONE Sunday material, to use to engage their congregation to participate.

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Meeting with Mayor Coleman of St. Paul

Last Friday we visited with St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. We thanked him for his support in declaring St. Paul a City of ONE during a multi-declaration event for the Twin Cities and the State of Minnesota last month.

We’re very glad to have Mayor Coleman, his staff, and the city of St. Paul join us in our efforts to end extreme poverty!

-Rochelle Gibbs & Kris Jernigan, Twin Cities ONE Members

Ry-bak atcha, Mayor Rybak!

Recently, Twin Cities ONE members Tzviatko Chiderov and Rochelle Gibbs stopped by Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak’s office to thank him for his support in declaring Minnesota a ‘State of ONE,’ and Minneapolis and St Paul ‘Cities of ONE.’ We had a chance to briefly discuss how local leaders within the community can affect change.

Mayor Rybak was quick to reaffirm his commitment to being a part of the solution and to engage his constituents by offering to speak out. We are also excited to announce that Mayor Rybak has joined Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Norm Coleman in becoming a ONE Ambassador in the great state of Minnesota!

Mayor Rybak indicated that Minneapolis has become an international city of over 100 languages. The “Twin Cities ONE Group” believes that even though we may speak different languages and have different backgrounds, we can all agree on one goal - to put an end to extreme poverty and preventable disease in developing countries by making it a national priority here in the United States.

Thank you Mayor R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis for being part of the solution. We appreciate your support!

-Rochelle Gibbs and Tzviatko Chiderov ONE Twin Cities Members

Minnesota is ONE State Against Global Poverty and Disease

Minnesota ONE members gathered in their State Capitol today to celebrate Minnesota officially becoming a “ONE State” united against global poverty and preventable disease.

Governor Tim Pawlenty signed the ONE State proclamation at an event held in the Governor’s Reception Room at the Capitol, which was also attended by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), local faith leaders and other officials from both political parties. Gov. Pawlenty and Sen. Klobuchar showcased the ways Minnesotans can get involved in efforts to save lives from extreme poverty and preventable disease in Africa and poor regions around the world. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak (D-MN) and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman (D-MN) also signed declarations earlier in the week making their respective cities official “ONE Cities.”

Check out Fox 9 Morning News’s fantastic clip about the morning’s celebration!

ONE Field Organizer Libby Crimmings will post soon about her experience on the ground in Minnesota!

-Chris Scott

ONE Minnesota, ONE Minneapolis & ONE Saint Paul

On Wednesday we’re hosting a “ONE Minnesota” event at the State Capitol in St. Paul to celebrate Governor Pawlenty’s leadership in declaring Minnesota a “ONE State,” Mayor Rybak declaring Minneapolis and Mayor Coleman declaring Saint Paul “ONE Cities.”

The event will raise awareness for the issues important to the more than 28,000 ONE supporters in Minnesota and celebrate the leadership that Minnesota’s elected officials have demonstrated on both the state and federal levels.

Governor Tim Pawlenty, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Lutheran Bishop Peter Rogness, ONE member and leader of the Twin Cities ONE Group Rochelle Gibbs are all confirmed to speak. If you would like to join us for this event please RSVP here.

Way to go ONE Minnesota members!

-Libby Crimmings, MN ONE Field Organizer

Maxing out on ONE in Minnesota

This weekend, ONE members spoke with delegates from all over Minnesota at a booth during the Democratic Farmer Labor Party, State Convention in Rochester, MN. There were about 2,000 delegates and alternates present at the convention plus media, campaign staff and volunteers.

ONE hosted a booth in the exhibitor section and members spoke to people about the campaign, our successes, what our goals are, and of course how they can get involved! We were thrilled to meet many people who were already ONE members, and wearing their ONE bands! People were excited to hear about efforts and of course that their Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama, as well as Republican presidential candidate John McCain, have both been supportive and participated in ONE’s On the Record challenge.

During the event, US Congressman Tim Walz stopped by the booth to thank ONE members for being at the convention as well as for the work they are doing. Congressman Walz said he has been a supporter of the campaign for years and is glad we could be there to spread the word about the campaign. He put on a band and took a photo with ONE members.
ONE members also took a photo with Democratic Presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama, or at least his cardboard cutout counterpart!

Overall the event was great and many of the delegates were very supportive, wore ONE stickers, bands and signed the ONE declaration!

-Kelly Wyveen, ONE member Stillwater, MN

Imagine

Last week and this, ONE volunteers in New Jersey, Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Indiana, Minneapolis, Illinois, Ohio, Kansas, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, and Alabama are dropping of thousands of letters to congressman and senators asking them to co-sponsor the Global Child Survival Act. A volunteer in Minnesota sent me this email while she was preparing to go. I wanted to share.

Annisa Wanat

As I was writing a personal handwritten letter to Senator Coleman, this is what came out when I listened to my heart. I didn’t get all the talking points in but it doesn’t matter. I hope it reaches him.

Imagine saving the life of a child.
Imagine the joy in the mother’s eyes.
Imagine the gratitude.
Imagine what that child has to offer the world.
Imagine the possibilities.
Now multiply that by 10 million.
Every year.
Imagine THAT possibility.

That possibility can be reality, if you co-sponsor the Global Child Survival Act.

-Nadja Gale, ONE Member, Twin Cities, MN