U2’s spaceship landed in Pittsburgh, Penn., this past Tuesday for the final show of their US tour. As with previous shows, we had a group of very excited and energetic ONE volunteers ready to greet the fans. From the general admission line, to tailgaters in the parking lots, volunteers spent the afternoon speaking with fans about ONE and explaining how they can help eliminate extreme poverty by using their voices.
“ONE doesn’t want your money, we want your VOICE” could be heard from all around the stadium. After a long afternoon we had well over 3,000 new ONE members!
During the show, Bono — ONE’s cofounder, thanked the volunteers and all the fans who had signed up. He also told the crowd that because of ONE members’ hard work and dedication, US investments have provided funding to put 5 million Africans on antiretroviral treatments!
I was excited to gather a team of ONE volunteers that I first met earlier this week at a ONE workshop to visit with the Philadelphia office of Senator Pat Toomey, R-Penn. We were received warmly by the senator’s regional manager, James Fitzpatrick. I was also pleased to see that a picture of Senator Toomey with PA ONE members that I delivered was still on display in the office!
ONE members Kristine Becker, Pastor Matt Staniz, Rev. Sunny Hallanan and Teri Ruiz with James Fitzpatrick (center), Senator Toomey’s regional manager for SE Pennsylvania.
This weekend I was fortunate enough to spend some time with an amazing group of ONE members from across the Tri-State area at a workshop in Philadelphia, Penn. As with the rest of the ONE advocacy workshops going on across the country, we enjoyed a a candid conversation about education, awareness and advocacy for ONE’s issues.
I was extremely impressed with the group’s questions throughout the workshop. They became even more engaged after viewing some Living Proof clips.
Everyone in attendance was very active in sharing ideas about how to recruit ONE members, influence others, make their voices heard and spread the word about global poverty and disease.
This group was also very anxious to get involved and take action. Everyone in attendance wrote letters to their senators to tell them that with current funding, America has already saved 4 million people with life-saving AIDS treatments, vaccinated nearly 300 million children over the last 10 years against deadly diseases, and supported agricultural initiatives that help millions lift themselves out of poverty.
Pastor Matt Staniz explains to ONE members the role Faith can play in advocacy.
We were able to do all of this for less than 1 percent of the federal budget. They also made sure to urge their senators to please continue to appropriate life-saving programs like the Global Fund, PEPFAR, GAVI and sustainable agriculture programs — and fight against any more cuts.
This was a terrific workshop! I want to thank Pastor Matt Staniz of Temple Lutheran Church and Congressional District Leader Barb Barrar for their help and leadership throughout the workshop!
ONE volunteers had an absolutely “beautiful day” on Thursday at the U2 show in Philadelphia, Penn. ONE members from around the Tri-State area converged on the Lincoln Financial Field grounds to share information about ONE and our fight against extreme poverty and preventable, treatable diseases in Africa.
All their hard work resulted in ONE gaining 2,851 new members! Here is what a few ONE volunteers had to say about the day’s experience:
“It was exciting and encouraging to see the commitment and enthusiasm of the volunteers as they worked to expand ONE’s voice. As we interacted with the crowds arriving for the concert, it quickly became clear that people not only care about ending extreme poverty and preventable diseases, but are willing to support the life-saving work that is needed to make it happen.” -Pastor Matt Staniz
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend a documentary film screening and panel discussion of “Enemies of Happiness” (film trailer below) in Philadelphia.
The event was organized in part by Women’s Campaign International (WCI), which was founded in 1998 by former Pennsylvania Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies to help women around the world, including several African nations, find their voices by giving them tangible skills in areas such as leadership, public speaking, media relations, grassroots organizing, campaign strategies, voter outreach and mobilization, polling, policy analysis and fund raising.
WCI has worked with political leaders, activists, advocacy groups and non-profit partner organizations to ensure that women have a legitimate opportunity to participate in the development of public policy and to ensure that women’s issues are placed on local, national and regional agendas. With the help of local civil society organizations, WCI is able to tailor its programs to fit the needs, culture and abilities of women in each country.
I had the chance to speak with Ms. Margolies after the event and to my delight, she was already familiar with ONE. She mentioned having met Bob Geldolf a number of years ago and speaking briefly with him about ONE’s efforts to help the poorest people on earth to rise up out of poverty. Ms. Margolies immediately put on the ONE band I presented her with and was eager to learn more about becoming involved with ONE in Pennsylvania and beyond.
-Barb Barrar, ONE Congressional District Leader, New Jersey
Today was a momentous day for the students at the University of Pittsburgh. As they continue to battle it out in the ONE Campus Challenge, they had a banner week raising awareness for the budget crisis as it moves toward the Senate. Capping off a day spent submitting more than 75 letters and calls to Pennsylvania’s Sens. Pat Toomey and Bob Casey, the students received official recognition naming the University of Pittsburgh as a “Campus of ONE” from that university’s student government organization.
An important milestone -– this accolade means a lot to the students involved and makes a broader statement to the overall student body. The University of Pittsburgh community is committed to the world’s poorest people at an absolutely crucial time for our active outreach on these issues.
Pastor Matt Staniz of Temple Lutheran Church in Havertown, PA has been a ONE member for several years and an amazing advocate for the world’s poorest people. He has consistently done some pretty impressive things to promote education, awareness, and advocacy for ONE including speaking at the press conference when Philadelphia, PA was declared a ONE city; making his voice heard with our elected officials; and helping to raise awareness in the faith community by writing “sermon starters” for the ELCA regarding the global HIV/AIDS Pandemic and holding a “Lazarus Sunday”.
I asked Pastor Matt what ONE means to him and this was his response:
“The ONE Campaign is a vital movement in the world today. It reflects the type of love that we must have for each other: a love that is reflected in justice, equality, and action. It is through working as ONE to end extreme poverty and preventable disease that I can look at the needs in the world and become part of a real solution. As a person of faith, I am convinced that raising a voice on behalf of the poor is how faith creates action and charity leads to justice. ONE provides actions that allow concern for the poor to lead to real change.”
Pastor Matt also recently joined me in Washington and met with ONE staff. He made some remarks regarding the experience:
I recently had an opportunity that I wish could be shared with every ONE volunteer. During a visit to Washington D.C., I was able to spend a morning at the ONE U.S. offices and see first-hand the energy, expertise and effort behind ONE’s work on behalf of the world’s poorest people. I was invited to participate in the daily “morning huddle” led by Mike Henry, ONE’s Senior Director of U.S. Field Operations. Listening to the conversation, it was clear to me that the team’s passion to end extreme poverty and preventable disease was matched by their proficiency and talent for advocacy. After huddling as a team, everyone went immediately and energetically into their part of ONE’s work. I also had the chance to meet ONE’s U.S. Executive Director Sheila Nix and ONE’s President and CEO, David Lane. Both were very grateful for the work of ONE volunteers across the U.S. and around the world.
By visiting ONE and interacting with the staff and leaders, I have learned how to be a more effective advocate myself. I know more about the issues ONE is committed to. I have discovered new ways to communicate ONE’s important message. I am also energized by the passion of ONE’s staff and find great encouragement in knowing that so many talented and committed people stand with me as I stand with the world’s poorest people.
If you are a ONE member, I encourage you to connect with your partners on the ONE staff. And if you can make it to Capitol Hill to do some ONE advocacy, be sure to schedule a visit to the ONE offices. It is tremendously rewarding to witness what happens on a daily basis as ONE goes to work on behalf of the world’s poorest people.
It has been an inspirational pleasure to stand side by side with Pastor Matt advocating for the world’s most vulnerable people!
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