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Advocacy OpportunitiesAdvocacy opportunities include events, state and federal budget information, and ongoing campaigns. A listing does not constitute an endorsement by AAC. * indicates new or updated listing, last updated May 9, 2008. Also see Children's Advocates Roundtable report
Advocacy events
State BudgetGovernor releases proposed 2008-09 budget, from the California Budget Project, offers a summary of the governor's budget -- and the steep cuts proposed to services for children and families. The budget would
--> And stay tuned for the upcoming Children's Advocate article on efforts by children's organizations to fight the proposed budget cuts -- and ways to get involved! Return to topFederal budgetBabies and the Budget is an advocacy tool from Zero to Three about the budget process and how to get involved.
ElectionsHealth 08 offers information and resources related to where the presidential candidates stand on health issues. MomsVote 08 is a campaign by MomsRising to collect stories from parents about how scary it is to raise children without family-friendly policies -- and to share these stories with legislators and the media. Also read stories from other parents. Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity compiles position statements from presidential candidates on poverty and related issues. Voter participation resources
[last updated 4-4-06]
Ongoing CampaignsMulti-issue Bay Area Parent Leadership Action Network is bringing together
organizations and parent leaders from around the Bay Area to build a stronger
parent voice in the decisions that affect the well-being of children and
families. The network grows out of the collaborative efforts of a group
of organizations, including Action Alliance for Children. Future activities
include a Bay Area Leadership Council, network forums, action trainings,
and web resources. For more information, contact PLAN, Melia Franklin,
(510) 531-7526; sign up for announcements at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/parentleadership
City Platform for Strengthening Families, from the National League of Cities, outlines strategies and action steps for making sustained progress in cities on behalf of children and families. Online at http://www.nlc.org/iyef/a%5Fcity%5Fplatform Clearinghouse on Expanding and Sustaining Youth Programs and Policies, from the Finance Project and the Forum for Youth Investment, is an online database with tools, policies, financing strategies, and technical assistance resources related to programs and policies for children and youth. Online at http://www.financeproject.org Click Here for Change: Your Guide to the E-Advocacy Revolution, from PolicyLink, offers technology tips to help organizations strengthen offline advocacy, target decision-makers, connect with "hard to reach" communities, organize for mass mobilization, and track online activity. Includes case studies and guidelines for creating advocacy websites, emails, and newsletters. Online at http://www.policylink.org/projects/eadvocacy Cost of War, from the National Priorities Project, estimates that the cost of war in Iraq adds up to more than $350 billion -- which could have paid for 48 million kids to go to Head Start for a year, insured 217 million children for a year, or paid six million teachers for a year. Online at http://costofwar.com Lifecourse Interventions to Nurture Kids Successfully (LINKS), from Child Trends, is an online guide to over 200 effective programs for children and youth. Topics include early care and education, clinic- and community-based programs, home visiting, mentoring, and school-based programs. Provides program summaries and analyzes the impacts of these programs. Moms Rising is calling on policymakers to support family-friendly policies that invest in mothers, children, and families. Issue areas include paid family leave, flexible hours, living wages, quality child care and afterschool programs, quality TV programming, and health care for all children. Advocacy tools online at http://www.momsrising.org Politics of Trust Prekinder: Aprendiendo a aprender, from Pre-K Now, is a site for Spanish-language families about early care and education, including why preschool is important, choosing quality care, types of early childhood programs, knowing your rights, and preschool facts. Research on Early Childhood Education Outcomes, from the Public Policy Forum, is an online chart summarizing more than 20 early care and education studies. Finds that early care and education had "significant outcomes" for children related to learning, social skills, and behavior, as well as benefits to society.
Child Care and Early Care and Edcuation(see also multi-issue campaigns) Afterschool 4 All offers resources and tools for afterschool advocates and staff about Proposition 49 funds. Also provides information on promoting afterschool programs within communities and to policy makers. Online at http://www.act4afterschool.net/index.html Birth to Five Policy Alliance compiles updates on state-level early education and child development legislation and policies. Includes additional resources. Campaign for High Quality Early Learning Standards is calling on policymakers to adopt appropriate, research-based standards for California's preschool programs that would:
For more information or to sign on, contact the Southern California Association for the Education of Young Children, http://www.scaeyc.net Child Care and Development State Budget Policy Workshops provide an overview of political issues and the state budget process. Jan 24: Sacramento, Jan 29: Oakland, Jan 31: Los Angeles, Feb 1: San Diego. For more information or to sign up, contact On the Capitol Doorstep, (916) 442-5431 Children's Defense Fund offers tools for contacting federal lawmakers
and media about the need to support new investments in child care. Includes
an online action center, organizing toolkit, checklist for advocates,
and facts about the importance of child care. Online at http://www.childrensdefense.org/ Everybody Ready for School, from Public Agenda, is a discussion guide that presents three approaches for improving school readiness programs: more funding, better standards, and more parent choice. Advocates can use this guide in campaigns for community dialogue and action on school readiness issues. Online at http://www.publicagenda.org/pubengage/ Family Initiative: Better Child Care, Preschool, and Afterschool
is a six-year campaign to increase support for major public investment
in quality child care and afterschool programs. Advocates for increased
resources to providers and parents, investments in education, and equitable
compensation and career development opportunities for the early care and
education workforce. For more information or to sign on to the campaign,
contact the National Organization for Women, Legal Defense and Education
Fund, info@familyinitiative.org;
http://www.familyinitiative.org
Framing Early Childhood Development, from Zero to Three, offers tips for developing effective messages about policy issues that affect infants and toddlers. Online at http://www.zerotothree.org/site/ Head Start for more families
[last updated 11-1-07] Infant/Toddler Learning Foundations The California Department of Education is releasing drafts of new "infant/toddler learning foundations" covering child development in four domains: social/emotional, cognitive, language, and motor and perceptual. As with the previously released draft preschool foundations (see http://www.4children.org/news/507care.htm#5), CDE has posted a draft online and plans to gather input at four public hearings and through the internet. The public hearings are the same days and locations as the public hearings on the preschool foundations -- the preschool meetings are from 9am-noon, the infant/toddler meetings are from 1pm-3pm. For more information, visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/itfoundations.asp Lifecourse Interventions to Nurture Kids Successfully (LINKS), from Child Trends, is an online guide to over 200 effective programs for children and youth. Topics include early care and education, clinic- and community-based programs, home visiting, mentoring, and school-based programs. Provides program summaries and analyzes the impacts of these programs. List serv for School Readiness Programs in Northeastern California Prekinder: Aprendiendo a aprender, from Pre-K Now, is a site for Spanish-language families about early care and education, including why preschool is important, choosing quality care, types of early childhood programs, knowing your rights, and preschool facts. Research on Early Childhood Education Outcomes, from the Public Policy Forum, is an online chart summarizing more than 20 early care and education studies. Finds that early care and education had "significant outcomes" for children related to learning, social skills, and behavior, as well as benefits to society. Say Yes, Now! is a video about the importance of high quality early care and education and how it contributes to school success. Video and advocacy tips online at http://www.edpro.com/advocacy/advocacy.shtml Starting At 3 promotes and supports legal advocacy to help establish
preschool as a legal right for children in the US. The project offers
advice and support to lawyers, activists, and policymakers working on
preschool for all mandates in states around the US. Website provides information
on research and case law, as well as other resources. For more information,
contact the Education Law Center, Ellen Boylan, (973) 624-1815 x 42; http://www.startingat3.org
United Child Care Union Peer Advocate Program is an opportunity
for UCCU family child care members to get help from trained advocates
with licensing and subsidized payment issues in Humbolt, Marin, Riverside,
San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Ventura counties.
For more information, contact UCCU, 866-336-9333 Zero to Three Policy Network provides information for infant-toddler professionals on how they can use their knowledge and expertise to impact public policy. Offers tools and resources, including ways to frame messages about early childhood development. Online at http://www.zerotothree.org/policy/policy_network.html
Head Start(see also multi-issue campaigns) California Head Start Parent Ambassadors are available to speak with Head Start parents about current Head Start issues and how parents can become Head Start advocates. For more information, contact CHSA, Catherine de la Torre, 916-444-7760; http://caheadstart.org/CHSAProjects.html Head Start for more families
[last updated 11-1-07] I Got a Head Start, from the National Head Start Association, is an opportunity for adults who attended Head Start and parents of current Head Start children to share their Head Start success stories. Offers advocacy opportunities and resources. Online at http://www.igotaheadstart.org/ Save Head Start offers information and advocacy tools about the
Bush administration's proposed changes to Head Start. Online at http://www.saveheadstart.org
Health(see also multi-issue campaigns) 2008 Legislative Agenda, from California Food Policy Advocates, outlines priorities that would help improve the health and nutrition of low-income Californians:
[last updated 1-9-08] Breakfast First: Healthy Food for Hungry Minds is a campaign
to ensure that every California public school offers a healthy and appealing
school breakfast to all students. Activities include conducting focus
groups; providing technical assistance to schools; developing resource
materials for parents, schools, and community leaders; and advocating
for local, state, and federal policy changes. For more information or
to get involved, contact California Food Policy Advocates, (415) 777-4422;
http://www.breakfastfirst.org
Californians For Healthy Kids is a coalition of teachers, teachers, businesses, parents, health providers and community leaders around California that are working to ensure that all children have affordable insurance. For more information, contact the 100% Campaign, (510) 763-2444; information and resources online at http://www.100percentcampaign.org/resources/programs/prg-calkids.htm Californians for Healthy Kids Town Hall Meetings PICO California is holding town hall meetings throughout California about the challenges faced by uninsured families and the need for major health care reform. For more information, contact PICO, Kiren Rizvi, 916-447-7959 x19, or see Town Hall Meetings List Call to Conscience and Action is an effort to collect signatures from 9 million adults who will commit to holding Congress accountable for enacting health insurance coverage for the 9 million children without insurance. For more information or petitions, contact the Children's Defense Fund-California, Kelli King-Jackson, 213-749-5687, kkingjackson@cdfca.org CDF-CA is also collecting stories about how families are affected when their children do not have health insurance. For more information or to help put CDF in touch with families interested in sharing their stories, contact Taima Gates, 213-749-8787, tgates@cdfca.org Center for Science in the Public Interest provides information
and tools that people can use to advocate for more funding for nutrition
and activity programs, as well as laws that improve school foods and limit
junk-food marketing to children. For more information, contact CSPI, http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/index.html
Coalition for a Healthy and Active America coordinates a statewide
coalition of parents, educators, and community leaders that work to improve
physical activity and nutrition for children and families. For more information,
contact CHAA, (866) 900-4550; http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title= Covering All Children in 2007 is a campaign to ensure that all children have comprehensive health and mental health care. For more information, contact the Children's Defense Fund, 202-628-8787, http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/ Covering Kids and Families, from the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation, is a nationwide effort to encourage parents
to enroll eligible, uninsured children in free and low cost health insurance
programs. For more information or materials, visit http://coveringkidsandfamilies.org Elect Susie is a fictional presidential campaign for Susie Flynn, a 10-year-old girl who is calling for health insurance for all children in the US. For information about the campaign (sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund), visit http://www.electsusie.com Environmental Nutrition and Activity Local Policy Database, from the Prevention Institute, is an online database of local-level policies that aim to improve healthy eating and activity. Includes policies in cities, counties, special districts, regional bodies, and school districts. Online at http://www.preventioninstitute.org/sa/policies/index.php The Prevention Institute is also looking for additional nutrition and physical activity policies to include. For information, contact Manal Aboelata, 510-444-7738, manal@preventioninstitute.org It's Our Health Care is a campaign for quality, affordable health care in California. It will include outreach to gather health care stories and concerns, town hall meetings around the state, house parties, and opportunities to communicate with policymakers about health care reform proposals. For more information, contact Health Access, 916-442-2308, http://www.itsourhealthcare.org Mapping the Nutrition and Physical Activity Movement is an effort to develop a national map of organizations and coalitions working on nutrition, physical activity, and related issues. It will also include grassroots organizations working on advocacy and policy efforts -- such as tobacco, alcohol, and environmental justice -- particularly in communities of color and low-income communities. The map will help inform future strategy and build momentum on these issues. For more information or to suggest organizations, contact Prevention Institute, Jamila Edwards, jamila@preventioninstitute.org, (510) 444-7738 x334 Mental health regional forums Nurses' Health is a campaign by the Environmental Working Group to reduce nurses' -- and their children's -- exposure to hazardous chemicals. Includes information on a range of chemicals, ways to share your story, tips for advocating for chemical safety, and resources. Reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (Healthy Families in California), from the Children's Defense Fund, offers tools to help advocates continue to urge Congress to renew funding for state children's health insurance programs -- and override the President's veto. Regional Latino Health Networks bring together local community-based
organizations in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and San Diego to develop
regional Latino health agendas -- a Central Valley Network will be formed
in 2005. For more information, contact Latino Coalition for a Healthy
California, Ayde Perez, (916) 448-3234; http://www.lchc.org
Stir It Up, a campaign by Parents' Action for Children, is an
opportunity for parents, teachers, and school administrators to get
soda, candy, and unhealthy foods out of schools, and to get physical
activity back in. More information and advocacy tips online at http://www.stiritupamerica.com THRIVE, from the Prevention Institute, is a web-based tool to help communities identify and support factors that improve community health and reduce disparities. Includes a guide to using the tool in communities and thinking through the planning process and potential partners. Online at http://www.preventioninstitute.org/thrive/index.php Toys recalled Several companies have recently recalled dangerous toys, mostly for having high amounts of lead. Don't lick Elmo! is an opportunity to urge Congress to make sure that food and products imported from other countries are safe. Get the Lead Out! is a petition by Moms Rising, calling on Congress and the Consumer Product Safety Commission to test children's products for toxic chemicals. For background, see Toys recalled
Schools and School-age Children(see also multi-issue campaigns) Afterschool 4 All offers resources and tools for afterschool advocates and staff about Proposition 49 funds. Also provides information on promoting afterschool programs within communities and to policy makers. Online at http://www.act4afterschool.net/index.html California Afterschool Advisory Committees and Studies, from the California School Age Care Consortium, explains the intentions, stakeholders, and contacts for four committees that seek to improve afterschool programs, communicate afterschool policy and legislation, and plan for Proposition 49's possible rollout this next fiscal year. Online at http://www.calsac.org/ EdWeek Map Viewer is an online tool that allows users to view and compare education statistics of their school district with other districts, California, other states, and the US. Statistics include student demographics; the percentage of students in poverty, in special education, and learning English; student-teacher ratios; and segregation levels. Online at http://www.edweek.org/ew/index.html First Class Teachers, from the American Federation
of Teachers, is a campaign to bring early childhood educators together
in support of higher wages, better working conditions, and more professional
development opportunities. Website includes resources, message boards,
and action alerts. AFT, (202) 662-8005; http://www.firstclassteachers.org Give Kids Good Schools is a campaign by the Public Education Network to build support around the US for improving quality in all public schools. Oct 16-22 is Give Kids Good Schools Week. Information, materials, and activism tools online at http://www.givekidsgoodschools.org School reform coalition mobilizing parents Ten Moral Concerns about the "No Child Left Behind" Act is an opportunity for people of faith to contact policymakers in preparation for NCLB's 2007 reauthorization. Participants are asked to send personalized letters about how the Act
For more information or to participate, contact the National Council of Churches, (202) 544-2350; http://www.ncccusa.org/ or Waste-Free Lunch is an opportunity to educate students,
parents, and school staff about the need to reduce trash -- and promote
reusable containers, utensils, and napkins, as well as recycling. Estimates
that the average elementary school generates nearly 20,000 pounds of lunch
waste each year. Website includes tips for getting started and success
stories -- including how schools around California are saving money by
cutting waste disposal fees. For more information, contact Waste-Free
Lunches, info@wastefreelunches.org;
http://www.wastefreelunches.org/ The Whole Child is a new campaign from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development calling on schools and communities to work together to make sure students have a challenging curriculum in a healthy and supportive environment.
Welfare, family income, and poverty(see also multi-issue campaigns) Advocates' Toolkit, from For an Economy that Works for All, provides
resources for re-framing issues that affect low-income workers to better
win public support. Includes sample op-ed essays, media advisories, opinion
polls, and a fact sheet. Online at http://www.economythatworks.org/toolkit.htm
Children's Defense Fund Benefits Outreach Project
is a national initiative to ensure that children and poor working families
receive tax credits, income, health insurance, and other benefits for
which they are eligible. For more information, contact CDF, (202) 662-3542;
http://www.childrensdefense.org/benefits/default.aspx End Poverty in California, a campaign by PowerPAC, is an effort to inform, educate, and mobilize Californians around an anti-poverty, pro-family agenda. Website includes information about the special election, views on social justice, email updates, and a calendar of events. Online at http://www.powerpac.org High Road Now, from the American Legislative Issue Campaign Exchange,
provides sample legislation, issue briefs, and news updates on efforts
to promote higher wages and worker-friendly policies, environmental sustainability,
and democratic accountability. Online at http://www.highroadnow.org
Lower Your Taxes or Increase Your Refund is a toolkit to help early care and education teachers and providers conduct outreach with families about tax credits. Includes flyers, factsheets, and payroll stuffers for federal and state tax credits. Online at http://www.nwlc.org/details.cfm?id=2860§ion=tax Mothers Matter, Caregivers Count Campaign is an opportunity to call for economic justice for mothers and caregivers through action in the workplace, in the legislature, and against media bias. For more information or a toolkit, contact the National Organization of Women, http://www.now.org/issues/mothers/mmcc.html Paid Family Leave Collaborative is educating workers,
new parents, and non-native English speakers in California about their
rights to paid family leave benefits. Offers legal trainings, workshops,
and in-services, as well as sample newsletter articles and information
sheets. For more information, contact the Labor Project for Working Families,
(510) 643-7088; http://www.laborproject.org Reducing Poverty, Building Prosperity has compiled links to guides, case studies, online tools, reports, and organizations working on a number of topics to help communities tackle poverty. Topics include affordable housing, community building, local economies, community resources, education, health, living-wage jobs, and tough issues. Online at http://nwafsolutionsdepot.org/index.php Walk a Mile Campaign links policymakers with their constituents
receiving public assistance so that both learn more about each other's
lives. The national campaign is looking for community organizations to
coordinate state-wide or local projects throughout the US. Training and
technical assistance provided. For more information, contact Walk a Mile,
(206) 543-3027; http://www.walkamile.org
Working Poor Task Force is bringing together people who
work with low-income families to develop statewide and Bay Area policy
agendas to improve the lives of California's working poor and their families.
For more information, contact the Insight Center for Community Economic Development ,
Aimee Durfee, (510) 251-2600 x 127; http://www.insightcced.org/
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Ongoing Campaigns:
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| Multi-issue | ||
| Child Care and Early Care and Education |
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| Head Start | ||
| Schools and School-age Children |
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| Welfare, family income, and poverty |
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