A lot of the volunteer work that I do is coordinated through my church, First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, which is a church in the United Church of Christ (UCC) denomination. This year, the UCC is launching an initiative called “Mission 1,” covering the 11 day period from 11/1/11 – 11/11/11.
One of the 3 aspects of it is a letter writing campaign, augmenting Bread for the World with their 2011 Offering of Letters. Their focus is on improving the effectiveness of US foreign aid, through accountability and transparency, streamlining redundant, overlapping aid agencies, and giving local people what they want.
For the Mission 1 campaign, we’re hoping to send 111 letters from our church. To participate:
- Learn about the issue.
- Read a two-pager of facts about poverty and hunger (and USAID)
- Watch the overview of the campaign, including stories from Haiti and Liberia (YouTube Video 7:51)
- Compose your thoughts.
- Start from a sample letter from Bread for the World (or download the Microsoft .doc version)
- Or, if you want to be more free-form (and effective) say it in your own words. Be sure to include your name and address at the bottom of the letter (so your representative knows that you are in his or her district).
- Send the letter.
[UPDATE: The UCC has set up a nice page which lets you submit a single form, and figures out from your zip code which members of Congress should receive it. So you can send all 4 (2 Senators, 1 Representative, Pres. Obama) with a single form submission.] - Via the legislator’s web contact form:
- Representative Anna Eshoo (California 14th district)
- Senator Barbara Boxer (California)
- Senator Diane Feinstein (California)
- Via Snail Mail:
- Representative Anna Eshoo, 205 Cannon Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
- Office of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, 112 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
- Senator Dianne Feinstein, United States Senate, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
- Let us know you’ve sent your letter (to count toward our goal!)
- Email givingbackbook at gmail , or better still
- Comment on this post, include a copy of your letter, if you like, and let us know where you sent it.
- Invite a friend to participate in the letter writing campaign. Share this blog post. Bring the letter writing campaign up in a conversation.
