From Across the Country to Capitol Hill

by Marty Rendon, Vice President Public Policy and Advocacy

UNICEF supporters from the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, New England, Northwest, Southeast, Southern California Regional Boards, and New York-Next Gen Steering Committee members fanned out across Capitol Hill to tell Congress to put children first.  On a beautiful day in March, this group of 43 advocates held 27 meetings with Senators, Representatives, and their staffers.  Their mission was to get support for $132 million for UNICEF in the FY 2016 Appropriations and to secure cosponsors for the bipartisan and bicameral “Girls Count” birth registration bill.  By the end of the day, legislators were sending letters to the Appropriations Committees about UNICEF’s funding and they were calling the sponsors of the birth registration bill to add their names!

Pictured below: Mid-Atlantic Regional Board Chair, Max Duckworth, Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mid-Atlantic Regional Board member, Sarah Godlewski and the U.S. Fund's Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Mark Engman.

These UNICEF supporters took the time to come to Washington because they believe in what UNICEF is doing to save and to improve the lives of vulnerable children around the world.   They wanted Congress to do its part to make children a top priority of U.S. foreign policy and to work with UNICEF to extend the reach of the U.S. Government to help more children in need.

The morning of their day of Hill meetings, we briefed our Regional Board Members on the issues they would be raising in their Congressional meetings and walked them through how to participate in a legislative meeting, the talking points, and the outcomes sought.  All of them were very quick studies and took to the process effortlessly.

Afterward, they shared their experiences with our Washington team and told us what was needed for follow up with the various offices.  And they agreed to continue to stay in touch with the legislators and staffers to sustain the work and collaboration for children.

Our Advocacy Day demonstrated that the decision-makers in Washington want to hear from their constituents back home.  It is essential for them to know that UNICEF supporters are telling them to put children first.  When they hear from concerned citizens like our Regional Board Members, they listen!

While not everyone can come to Washington, we all can be advocates, too!  Please take a moment to click on e-mail letters to your Senators and Representatives about UNICEF’s appropriations. Click here.  

Let’s make sure Congress knows we all want them to put children first!