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Recap: August recess meet ‘n greets

Field — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:57:05 +0000

ONE members across the country are using the August recess as an opportunity to meet with their congressional leaders to advocate for the world’s poorest people. So far, ONE members have attended more than 45 meetings with their senators or house representatives. Here’s a compilation of some of last week’s visits:

ONE member Steve with a member of Sen. Nelson’s staff

Meeting at Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson’s Omaha Office
Recently, I met with one of Sen. Ben Nelson’s, (D-Neb.), staff members, Patrick Leahy. After briefly discussing ONE’s history, agenda and the strong membership we have here in Nebraska, we got on to some more urgent matters. I asked that Nelson sign the Lugar-Casey letter in support of the Global Food Security Act and increase funding for GAVI and the Global Fund.

I asked Patrick to relay our thanks to Nelson for his support in these areas. I also told him that we are aware and proud of Nelson’s important position on the appropriations committee and how lucky we are to have him representing Nebraska.

- Steve White, ONE Nebraska

ONE members at Sen. Klobuchar’s office

Meeting with Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s St. Paul Office
ONE Congressional District Leader Reena Dhake and I headed over to Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s, (D-Minn.), Twin Cities office, where we met with State Director John Kavanagh to discuss ways to help improve the lives of millions of people living in extreme poverty.

Klobuchar supports both ONE and the issues we focus on. During the meeting, we commended the senator for her efforts, including her cosponsorship of the Global Food Security Act.

We also asked the senator to add her name to the Casey-Lugar letter in support of this legislation.

–Rochelle Gibbs and Reena Dhake, ONE Minnesota

ONE member Steve with a member of Sen. Nelson’s staff

Meeting with Sen. Barbara Boxer’s Fresno Office
My husband Ryan and I had the privilege of meeting with Sen. Barbara Boxer’s, (D-Calif.), Fresno office.

State Director Thomas Bohigian and Ameen Khan, the director of Central and Eastern California, were extremely gracious with their time and attention. We all agreed that because the world’s poorest people often find themselves silenced by the circumstances of their lives, it is vital that concerned citizens continue to raise awareness on their behalf.

We asked Bohigian and Khan to thank the senator for her efforts to represent the interest of the world’s poorest, including cosponsoring PEPFAR and the Water for the World Act. We asked that Boxer continue to show her support as we look ahead to the Global Fund’s replenishment conference in October. We also asked that she sign the Lugar-Casey letter in support of the Global Food Security Act.

The senator’s track record for supporting aid legislation is excellent, and we walked away with a sense that Boxer’s office is very empathetic to the plight of those enslaved by extreme poverty.

- Rebekah Townsend, ONE California

Meeting with Berkley’s Office

Meeting with Rep. Shelley Berkley’s Las Vegas Office
I met with district representatives Jan Churchill and Nikki Koval at Rep. Shelley Berkley’s, (D-Nev.), district office in Las Vegas, Nevada – and even briefly met the congresswoman.

We discussed the Global Fund and GAVI. I asked that Berkley do all that she can to build bipartisan support for increased funding of both programs in the House.

It is my sincere hope that although this week’s in-district meetings have happened in Vegas, they don’t stay here. Perhaps what happens in Vegas can be one small part of a concerted effort to change the world for the better and save lives.

- Adam Bellamy, ONE Nevada

Meeting with Sen. Al Franken’s Twin Cities Office
Yesterday, ONE member Rochelle Gibbs and I had a meeting with Sen. Al Franken’s, (D-Minn.), deputy state director, Daniel Fanning. We delivered a large thank you on behalf of ONE and its members in Minnesota for Franken’s leadership and dedication in the fight to end extreme poverty and preventable disease.

We asked Daniel to have the senator sign the Casey-Lugar letter in support of the Global Food Security Act to overhaul U.S. agricultural assistance efforts and help developing nations become more self-sufficient in their food production. Daniel informed us that they are in the process of looking into signing onto the letter at this time, so it was great to hear about the support from ONE.

We told the Senator to support a strong, three-year, $6 billion U.S. pledge to the Global Fund at the replenishment conference in October. We also told him to urge the appropriations committee to keep the Senate-approved funding level for GAVI at $105 million.

- Steven R. Thai, ONE Minnesota

ONE members at Sen. Reid’s office

Meeting with Sen. Harry Reid’s Las Vegas Office
It was an exciting morning as local ONE volunteers Renee Meyocks and Amber McIntosh and I met with Sen. Harry Reid’s, (D-Nev.), Regional Representative, Charvez Foger, at his downtown Las Vegas office.

We were honored to have the chance to share our passion for ONE’s goals and discuss the Global Food Security Act, GAVI and the Global Fund. Charvez made it clear that Reid is a proponent of international development and assistance, and exhibited a keen interest in what we had to say.

Charvez told us that at some point next year, Reid would like to hold an international development summit, inviting volunteers and officials from diverse nonprofit organizations (including ONE) and high-ranking representatives from the State Department to engage in a dialogue on these issues.

This news was very exciting to us. We are always looking for ways to highlight and debate international development issues locally so that our fellow Americans and government officials understand that global issues are also local issues.

- Adam Bellamy, ONE Nevada

Twin Cities Members Talk with Congressman Ellison’s Staff

Field — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:26:54 +0000

On Monday, Minneapolis ONE members gathered together to meet with a community representative, Alison Harris, of Congressman Keith Ellison’s District Office. The volunteers represented teachers, students, handypersons, business people, and classical musicians, just a small sampling of the more than 5,400 members of ONE in Minnesota’s 5th district who have a keen interest in eliminating extreme poverty and treating preventable disease in the poorest nations on earth.

Some had been ONE members for only several months and others had been volunteering for several years. They all came together to ask for Congressman Ellison’s support for the President’s budget request of $53.8 billion dollars for the International Affairs account, which funds proven and effective development programs that save lives around the world. In addition the members asked the Congressman to co-sponsor the Newborn, Child and Mother Survival Act, which was introduced by Congresswoman McCollum of Minnesota’s 4th District. The discussion was great and the requests were well received. We appreciate Alison taking the time to meet with us, and we will be sure to stay in touch with Congressman Ellison’s office in the future!

-Nadja Gale, ONE Twin Cities Member

Twin Cities Members Meet with Rep. Mc Collum’s Office

Libby Crimmings — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:10:40 +0000

This morning Joe Leyba, Kathy Stinchfield, and I had a meeting with Congresswoman Betty McCollum’s Chief of Staff, Bill Harper. Mr. Harper is familiar with ONE, which has almost 5,000 members in Minnesota’s fourth district and over 38,000 in Minnesota. We were excited to update him all the great things ONE members have been doing in the Twin Cities as well as around the country!

We thanked Representative McCollum for her ongoing support and leadership in past legislation such as Jubilee, Education for all, PEPFAR, and the Global Child Survival Act. Rep. McCollum will reintroduce later the bill now called ‘Newborn, Child, and Mother Survival Act of 2009’ to the house this coming week, Senator Dodd is also scheduled to introduce it to the Senate.

We also addressed a few policy issues with Mr. Harper for this year’s congress: We encouraged Rep. McCollum to support President Obama’s 2010 Budget requests for International Affairs and continue her active engagement in the reauthorization of the foreign assistance act. ONE also supports the Lugar-Casey ‘Global Food Security’ Act which Rep. McCollum will introduce to the house. We again thanked her for her leadership and committed to help advocate for this bill.

Mr. Harper is extremely knowledgeable on the issues and said Rep. McCollum’s major focuses this year will be on Maternal and child health, reinvesting in Agriculture development as well as elevating development in foreign aid reform. He thanked us for our commitment to fight extreme poverty and support these important issues through grassroots organization.

It was a great meeting and we sincerely appreciate Mr. Harper taking the time to speak with us today!

-Libby Crimmings, Joe Leyba & Kathy Stinchfield

African World AIDS Day in the Twin Cities

Field — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:33:33 +0000

I first attended African World AIDS Day a number of years ago (now in its fifth year) and was very moved with the powerful program and the commitment to prevent HIV/AIDS, end the stigma of those living with the disease, and work to solve the huge number of other problems that are associated with HIV /AIDS.

Through empowering stories, performances, and presentations, HIV/AIDS heroes and expert specialists filled that afternoon with hope, ideas, and recognition of HIV/AIDS in African born Minnesotans and also to friends and family who remain in Africa.

Last year the ONE Twin Cities group tabled at the 4th AWAD event and we were able to share how The ONE Campaign advocates for universal prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in African and other developing countries. In addition to having collected a large number of signatures, the Twin City Volunteer ONE members who participated in the event enjoyed a catered African meal and were treated with performances from Oromo Dancers, accounts from HIV/AIDS survivors recently arrived from Africa, actors, and a speech from keynote speaker and ONE supporter Princess Zulu, who we saw again recently at the Civic Fest event during Republican National Convention. The Twin Cities ONE Group made many new friends on African World AIDS Day 2007 and we are looking forward to seeing them again and developing new friends this year.

The Twin Cities ONE Group will be tabling at African World AIDS Day on December 6th, 2008 at South Senior High School, 3131 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407. This free event runs from 1-4pm and is open to the public. Further details can be found here.

-Rochelle Gibbs, ONE Member Twin Cities

Ry-bak atcha, Mayor Rybak!

Field — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:03:26 +0000

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

Cindy McCain and Laura Bush Confirmed

Virginia Simmons — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:16:21 +0000

We knew it was a possibility but now it’s confirmed. Both Cindy McCain and First Lady Laura Bush will be coming by ONE’s service project at the Minneapolis Convention Center today from 2-5 PM CT If you’re in the area, dropped by and help out. It should be an amazing event.

Below, some photos I took during prep for the event yesterday.

Feet Down in Minneapolis/St. Paul!

Virginia Simmons — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:24:19 +0000

I’m feet down in Minneapolis waiting to gain access to the ONE Bus at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Just like at the DNCC, ONE will partner with WorldVision to host a service project. If you’re in Minneapolis/St. Paul, it’s going to be at CivicFest (the Minneapolis Convention Center) today from 2-5pm in Ballroom B. Confirmed attendees include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and McCain family and friends.

Like last week’s event, volunteers will be able to help assemble kits for AIDS caregivers around the world, but today volunteers will also be able to help with WorldVision’s recovery efforts around the Gulf in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.

If you want to help with Hurricane Gustav recovery as well, you can find more information on World Vison’s website.

I’m heading over to the ONE Bus now. More updates in just a few minutes.

-Virginia Simmons

ONE Minnesota, ONE Minneapolis & ONE Saint Paul

Libby Pederson — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:32:01 +0000

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

Denver and Minneapolis Here We Come

Libby Pederson — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:19:00 +0000

Here at ONE we are so excited about the Democratic and Republican National Conventions coming up in the next few weeks! The conventions are a perfect opportunity to interact with party delegates and officials from all over the country and ONE will be there to make sure to bring the issues of extreme poverty into the US political arena. We will have many events at both conventions, including a wrapped campaign-style bus with a state-of-the-art podcast station.

ONE is also hosting service projects for volunteers at both conventions. As many as 800 volunteers will assemble kits to distribute to caregivers who support people living with AIDS all over the world. In addition, ONE will be hosting panel discussions as each convention to engage and educate people on the issues of extreme poverty and global disease.

For those who live in Denver or Minneapolis, or plan to travel there for the conventions, you can sign up now to help with the caregiver kits at the DNC here and the RNC here. More information about the conventions will follow in the coming days.