March 2001
CALL OR WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS ASKING THEM TO SUPPORT FOREIGN AID TO AFRICA

As many of you may know, the United States currently ranks last among industrialized nations in foreign aid as a percentage of GDP. At the same time, sub-Saharan Africa is the only part of the world where hunger and poverty are both widespread and increasing.

The US can lead the charge to fix this problem by supporting a Congressional resolution to send $1 billion in foreign aid for economic development in Africa.

Feel free to use the enclosed sample phone call and letter for your campaign. For more information go to www.bread.org or call Stephanie Siedel at 1-800-82- BREAD to get the Hunger to Harvest packet and video.

Please write letters or call your representatives of both your campus and home and ask them to support this issue! To find your Congressperson, go to www.congress.org.

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Representative ____________:

I urge you to support a Congressional resolution to help reduce hunger in Africa with an increase of $1 billion in poverty-focused assistance, including debt relief.

This measure will support efforts by people who are poor in Africa to improve to improve their lives. Many African people still suffer from hunger and poverty. Our U.S. budget surpluses mean we can do more to help long-term development. When U.S. aid is targeted to improve health care, education, agriculture and small-scale business in Africa, it can make a big difference in people's lives.

Investing in Africa in this can help cut hunger in half in Africa in 15 years, according to Bread for the World. Please support this campaign for Africa's next generation.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Your Address

SAMPLE PHONE CALL

Senator _________, I wanted to call and request that you support the Senate resolution to contribute $1 billion to sub-Saharan Africa for developmental aid. Africa is a starving and impoverished nation, and without our help might stay the same in the future. Please help end poverty in one of the world's highest areas of need.

Thank you!

Joseph Lindstrom
SPLASH Intern
800 NO HUNGR
www.nscahh.org
nscah@aol.com

February 2001
Have a Heart for Head Start!
E-mail your US Representatives and Senators on February 14 asking them to support funding for Head Start!

The Head Start program provides the nurturing atmosphere that young children need to thrive. It provides such services as early childhood education, healthy food, frequent medical screenings, immunizations, and dental services. Head Start meets the needs of the whole child and ensures that low-income children start school ready to learn.

According to a new US Department of Health and Human Services study, two-year-olds enrolled in Early Head Start performed better on child development tests, had larger vocabularies and were able to speak in more complex sentences than children who were not in the program. Additionally, parents of Head Start kids who participate in the program tend to read more to their children and engage in more structured play with them.

Unfortunately in 2000, Head Start was able to serve just half of all eligible children due to lack of funding. We must communicate to our members of Congress the importance of fully-funding Head Start and child care so that all eligible families and children can have access to safe and stimulating early learning.

The Right Start Act was introduced by Senator Dodd (D-CT) earlier this year and is one of the top priorities for the Senate. The Right Start Act would increase the funding of Head Start, promote early learning, and expand the Family and Medical Leave Act. This critical piece of legislation needs your help now!

ACTION!!!
RESULTS, a nonprofit, citizens' lobby group working to end hunger, has been working on this issue with other groups. We encourage you to get involved by sending an alert to your group and 25 friends. Ask them to e-mail their Congressperson on February 14 to remind them to Have a Heart for Head Start!

Go to www.congress.org to find your US Representative and Senators.

Sample E-mail
Dear Senator/Representative ____________,

As a concerned member of your district, I encourage you to support the Right Start Act of 2001. The Right Start Act will greatly increase funding for many fundamental programs that aid needy families.

The most crucial provision of the Right Start Act would be the increase in funds for the Head Start program to full funding within five years. Supporting this program is important because providing early learning experiences for children is key to ensuring that young children are prepared to enter school ready to learn and succeed. (Add your own personal comments)

Sincerely,

Your name and address

July 2000
Legislation:  Proclaim Jubilee: Break the Chains of Debt 
Last updated: July 21, 2000
Today's Actions: Urge your members of Congress to support $435 million for debt relief in this year's appropriation.

Even though the House made progress when it approved $225 million in debt relief for poor countries on July 13, this amount still falls short of the $435 million the U.S. has committed to pay this year. The competition for funds in the final weeks of Congress will be intense. Please continue to urge your members of Congress to approve the full $435 million for debt relief.

Points to make in your letter: The United States must contribute its fair share to the international debt plan. Every dollar the U.S. contributes to the HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Country) trust fund will leverage more than $20 dollars from other international creditors. Congress must keep the international debt plan on track. Unless all creditors act in concert, the international debt plan cannot move forward. Debt relief will help countries carry out their poverty reduction efforts, fighting infectious diseases, putting more children in school and rebuilding roads and bridges lost to recent floods. 

90 Seconds is all it takes: Tips for writing letters to members of Congress.

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