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| 233 N. Pleasant Ave. Amherst, MA 01002 p. (413) 253-6417 f. (413) 256-6435 |
| (800) NO-HUNGR nscah@aol.com |
Students Pushing for Legislative Action to Stop Hunger and Homelessness (SPLASH)
| Action Alert of the Month | Past Actions |
In 1988, the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and homelessness created a program, SPLASH, to help students learn and become active in the legislation process. SPLASH provides an essential link between students and the federal legislation process. The Campaign receives information on current food and housing legislation from these national organizations. The Campaign then passes this information to SPLASH contacts who organize effective campaigns on their campuses.
Introduction
What: In response to the interest
shown in the political process and current legislation affecting the issues
of hunger and homelessness, the National Student Campaign Against Hunger
and Homelessness created a network of student advocates around the country.
This Network can promote change by supporting legislation designed to
end the problems of poverty around the country.
Why: The United States has a long history of student-initiated grassroots activity. Our success in passing legislation through the years is immeasurable. We have the ability to activate hundreds of thousands of citizens to call and write their representatives urging them to support anti-poverty legislation. If our elected officials do not hear from their constituents, it is easier for them to ignore the plight of the hungry and homeless in America and abroad. We work on both the state and national levels in order to ensure that our elected officials will listen to us.
Who: We work with you and your state and national organizations to engage in advocacy and research. Our contacts include the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), the House Select Committee on Hunger, Bread for the World, and the National Coalition for the Homeless and others. We work with these organizations to assess their needs and figure out how our student-based groups may be the most helpful to them.
How: Through our network we are able to identify campuses which want to serve as "key legislative contacts" as a part of a national network. (A key contact is the point person for school who informs and then provides outlets for grassroots action.) As a key contact each student receives periodic updates on national food and housing legislation, the key players who need to be targeted, suggested tactics, and information about national actions or press conferences of which your campus may choose to become a part..
The SPLASH Action Handbook ($6.25) describes the federal legislative process and how groups can organize grassroots education and action campaigns to impact Congressional decisions. This guide is available and ordering information can be found on NSCAHH's Publications page.