What another exciting night on the U2 tour, this time at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. ONE volunteers signed up more than 3,000 new ONE members to join our movement to end extreme poverty and preventable disease. Throughout the day we met people from not only all over the country, but all around the world. After this show outside New York City, new ONE members can be found in Manhattan, Queens, Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and even further afield in Peru, United Kingdom, Germany, and Hong Kong.

Faith Rowland, a ONE volunteer who works at Episcopal Relief and Development had this to share:

“After much excited anticipation, the day of the show finally came around, and I can say that it was totally worth the two-hour bus misadventure just to be there with all the other fans and ONE volunteers. I got to meet loads of really nice and social-justice-minded people while canvassing in the parking lots for new ONE members, and just getting into the show was a thrill, since it was my first U2 concert. I totally cried during ‘Mysterious Ways,’ and loved just watching the guys play. But the best part was getting to actually walk on stage with other volunteers during ‘Walk On,’ which the band dedicated to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the thousands of others who have been imprisoned for their political beliefs.”

As Americans celebrated their independence on July 4, New Jersey ONE members made their way to a number of local Fourth of July parades to spread awareness of the life-saving impact that American investments have made in the lives of people living in extreme poverty.

First stop was Haddon Heights, New Jersey, hometown to Congressman Rob Andrews. We were thrilled to find the congressman leading the parade and very pleased that he took the time to chat with us. He immediately recognized us from previous engagements and thanked us for the work ONE is doing to fight extreme poverty even in these difficult economic times. He gladly accepted a ONE wristband and immediately put it on.

Later in the day, we spotted the congressman at another parade in Magnolia, New Jersey. He said, “Wow, you guys again!” and stopped to take a photo with other ONE members in our group. He also showed us that he was still wearing the wristband we’d given him earlier! We also spoke with Magnolia’s mayor, BettyAnn Cowling-Carson, and several town council members. They were all very receptive to ONE’s advocacy work for the world’s poorest and the mayor even invited us to take part in next year’s parade!

If you’re interested in joining the nearly 60,000 other New Jersey ONE members, please visit our Mid-Atlantic Region Facebook page.

-Barb Barrar, Congressional District Leader for New Jersey’s 1st District

This past week, I had the opportunity to attend the Greater New Jersey United Methodist Church’s annual conference at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Penn. It was great meeting so many people of faith! From pastors to chaplains to social justice directors, everyone truly understood our call to help people who are living in extreme poverty. It was great to see the folks who had signed up for ONE at last year’s conference still proudly wearing their white wristbands. They were excited to tell me what they had been doing in their congregations to support ONE’s efforts. Those who were new to ONE were glad to sign up and eager to take information back to their congregations.

Everyone was supportive of the two new vaccines to fight rotavirus and pneumonia, particularly the folks I met who lived in African countries and have seen children die from these easily preventable and treatable illnesses. You can use your voice in support of these two vaccines by signing ONE’s petition to President Obama, which requests a $450 million pledge over the next three years.

It was wonderful spending time with folks who understand the impact that our ”voices” can make in the fight against extreme poverty. Get your church or faith group involved with ONE today.

–Barb Barrar, Congressional District leader for New Jersey’s 1st District

This past weekend, I had the chance to share ONE with folks at the Ridgewood Cares Festival in Ridgewood, New Jersey. The event, created by a multi-faith women’s group, was an opportunity for people to learn how they can get involved in helping others locally and globally. The event was full of opportunities for people to not only learn how they can help, but actually DO SOMETHING to help!

Several of ONE’s partners were also involved, such as Bread For The World, Church World Service, and Habitat For Humanity. People were very interested to learn about ONE’s continuing work in the fight against extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Our table at the event

They were eager to sign up for ONE and sign letters to Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, asking for their support in helping farmers around the world earn their way out of poverty for the long term by committing $1.3 billion to smart agriculture programs. Everyone wholeheartedly agreed with the old saying, “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for the rest of his life.”

Attendees also had the opportunity to watch “The Lazarus Effect,” which follows the lives of four AIDS patients in Zambia, shows how two pills a day brought them back from death’s door and helped them lead a healthy and productive life. If you are interested in sharing “The Lazarus Effect” with your faith community, go to our ONE Sabbath page. And be sure to tell your senator to support funding for smart agriculture programs in Africa!

-Barb Barrar, ONE congressional district leader, New Jersey

Sen. Angelo congratulated Governor Christie on his appointment to the bi-partisan Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. And there was just enough time for Sen. Angelo to tell Gov. Christie about ONE, and how the Global Fund is one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against AIDS, TB, and malaria in Africa.

Sen. Angelo slipped him a ONE band, and Gov. Christie said he looks forward to learning more about ONE.

I’ve been working with ONE for a few years now, and over that time period, I’ve met members from all over the country. One of our best members is Barbra “Barb” Barrar. She’s passionate about ONE and is always up for going above and beyond when promoting education, awareness, and advocacy about our issues.

Whether it be hosting an event and talking to people about the work we do or meeting with her congressmen and senators, Barb truly understands the importance of using her voice when so many others don’t have the opportunity to do so.

We made Barb a congressional district leader earlier this year and it has been amazing and inspiring to see the work she has done on behalf of the world’s poorest people. In order to get to know her better, here’s a Q and A I conducted with her earlier this week:

How long have you been a part of ONE?

Barb: I joined ONE just prior to the official launch in Philadelphia in 2004. I learned about the staggering number of people dying everyday during a U2 concert and I wanted to get involved. Signing up members that day in Philadelphia was the first of many great volunteering opportunities I’ve had with ONE. Since becoming a congressional district leader, I’ve organized several events, including ONE Sabbaths, screenings of “The Lazarus Effect” documentary and hosting ONE tables at various events in my community. I also attended meetings with staffs of both New Jersey Sens. Lautenberg and Menendez and Rep. Rob Andrews.

What is your favorite ONE moment?

Barb: My most memorable ONE moment happened recently at the “Today” show in New York City. Myself and other ONE volunteers and staff were there spreading awareness about the U.N. MDG Summit and our current campaign, No Child Born with HIV by 2015. A ONE staffer from the U.K. introduced me to a mother and her daughter. Mom, Fortunata, is HIV positive, but because she received ARV treatment during her pregnancy, her daughter Florida was born HIV FREE! Meeting the two of them really hit home with me. What we are doing at ONE really is making a difference, and Florida is the proof!

Which ONE issue are you most passionate about?

Barb: It’s difficult to chose a single issue. I can say that any issue involving children is closest to my heart. A child dying from a mosquito bite, or because he or she was born with HIV, or from lack of food in a world of plenty, etc. These things are completely unacceptable to me and I want to do what ever I can to change this.

What do you like to do when you’re not doing ONE stuff?

Barb: I enjoy listening to music, reading and watching movies. I also like to spend time with friends, but it seems I somehow always end up talking about ONE! Caring about the world’s poorest and justice they deserve isn’t something I can just switch off.

Live in the New Jersey area and interested in doing more with ONE? Follow me on Twitter and I’ll tell you more about it!

Meeting with Sen. Menendez’s Staff

At Rep. Andrews’s office

In the past two weeks, ONE NJ Members dropped by the offices of Sen. Frank Lautenberg, (D-N.J.), Rep. Rob Andrews, (D-N.J.), and Sen. Robert Menendez, (D-N.J.).

While we were there, we had the chance to talk to their staff about some of the efforts that ONE is currently focusing on, including PEPFAR, the Global Fund and the Casey-Lugar letter in support of the Global Food Security Act.

Zachary McCue from Sen. Lautenberg’s office said he was very interested in the work that ONE is doing to end extreme poverty and fight preventable, treatable diseases in the world’s poorest countries. Zach expressed to us that it was nice to have constituents come in for good and positive things rather than coming in with complaints.

We thanked Thomas Woltjen and Jill Walsh from Rep. Andrews’ office for his vote in favor of the PEPFAR Reauthorization and requested that he join his colleagues on the budget committee to urge Chairman Spratt to fully preserve the president’s request for International Affairs in his Chairman’s Mark for FY12. We also learned that Jill was in attendance at the ONE launch in Philadelphia in 2004.

We expressed our thanks to Richard Locklear at Sen. Menendez’s office for the senator’s cosponsoring of the Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act.

If you’re interested in joining the 55,000 other New Jersey ONE members, please visit our Mid-Atlantic Region Facebook group.

AND follow ONE Regional Field Director Brian Sweeney on Twitter.

- Barbra Barrar, ONE congressional district leader for New Jersey’s 1st District

The congregation at the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Ephraim, New Jersey enjoyed a full ONE Sabbath service this past Sunday morning. Church Lay Leader Larry Barrar’s message was about going beyond the act of giving — charity — to the ideal of providing justice, which involves more of a relationship between the giver and the recipient.

Barrar explained that as Christians, we are called to a higher love, a love that changes. A love beyond merely giving. We are called to three purposes: compassion, action and community. At ONE we are called upon for these same three purposes in order to create a better world for our brothers and sisters in developing nations.

We were glad to see that a number of church members were eager to sign ONE’s petition to President Obama, asking for a strong, three-year, $6 billion pledge to the Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria.

If you would like to share the Global Fund with your faith community, please visit our ONE Sabbath page.

- Barbra Barrar, ONE congressional district leader for New Jersey’s 1st District

ONE members had a blast this weekend at the Daughtry shows in Hershey, Penn., and the Tropicana Showroom in Atlantic City, N.J. As fans arrived at both venues, our ONE teams shared information about ONE’s work in the fight against extreme poverty and preventable, treatable diseases in the world’s poorest countries.

We also got Chris Daughtry himself to retweet us on Twitter: “Very awesome!!! RT @barbiedoll869: @CHRIS_Daughtry ONE team got 482 new members tonight!”

Not only were we able to raise awareness for ONE this weekend, but we also added more than 600 new members! Big thanks to Daughtry and their terrific fans for two great nights!

Live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania? Connect with ONE members in your area on our ONE Mid-Atlantic Region Facebook group.

- Barbra Barrar, ONE congressional district leader for New Jersey’s 1st District

Greetings from the Garden State! This week, New Jersey ONE members kicked off the August congressional recess with a meeting with staff members from Rep. Steve Rothman’s (D-N.J.) office. Many legislators use the recess to meet with their constituents and it is a great opportunity for ONE members to let their representatives in Congress know that they care about fighting extreme poverty.

The importance and need for outreach to congressional members cannot be overstated – they need to hear what their constituents’ priorities are to help guide their agenda and votes in Washington. As the meeting kicked off, we made sure to thank Rep. Rothman’s staff for the congressman’s vote in favor of the reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and for cosponsoring the Newborn, Mother and Child Survival Act. Our group also discussed ONE’s mission in combating extreme poverty, AIDS and preventable diseases.

We requested that Rep. Rothman follow up on his PEPFAR vote by supporting major boosts in funding for the Global Fund and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI). Specifically, we asked that Rep. Rothman express his support of the Global Fund to Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and strongly urge her to push for $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2011 for the Global Fund as they finish this year’s appropriations process.

We also indicated that it is critical for the United States to make a commitment to the Global Fund — at least $6 billion dollars over the three years — to help ensure that no child is born with HIV by 2015. While there was not a commitment to the actual funding levels, it was clear from Rep. Rothman’s staff that the congressman is supportive of the mission and goals of ONE. Our group felt that we developed a good relationship with Rep. Rothman’s staff and look forward to a continued dialogue in the future.

- John Orth, ONE Member, New Jersey