Policy and Action Center: Take Action

We are pleased to report that Congress has passed the fiscal year 2009 budget and it includes important increases for afterschool programs.  Read about the $410 billion FY09 spending bill in Policy News and thank your members of Congress.

Advocacy for afterschool can happen in 2 minutes or last a lifetime.  See what you can do:

If you have 2 minutes…

• Send a message to Congress and the White House
• Sign the Afterschool for All national petition
  
• Send an email to your friends about the importance of afterschool and asking them to take action
• Subscribe to the Afterschool Advocate

• Call or write Congress using our sample letter and call script
  
• Check to see if your Members of Congress are on the Afterschool Caucus; if not ask them to join 

• Write your newspaper

Ready for more?

• Invite elected officials to tour your afterschool program
• Start a letter writing campaign
  
• Help make afterschool an issue in local and national elections
• Distribute an Afterschool for All petition in your community
• Host or attend a Lights On Afterschool event
• Speak to lawmakers at the Afterschool for All Challenge this spring
• Visit our Program Toolbox for more ideas on reaching policy makers
• Tips and tools on Taking Action in a time of government transition: Transitions in national, state and local governments give us an opportune moment to make sure that afterschool is on the mind of our policy makers.  For some tips and tools on how to best make the case for afterschool look at our Transition Ideas for Afterschool Leaders.

Stay busy all year with our  Key Advocacy Dates for 2009 

February 2	President’s Budget Released
February 16 – 22	President’s Day Recess  Invite Members of Congress to visit your programs and showcase the positive impacts afterschool programs have on children.
April 6 – 19	Spring Recess  Meet with your elected officials and urge them to increase afterschool funding once they begin the appropriations process.
April 27 – 28	Afterschool for All Challenge  Come to Washington, D.C. for afterschool workshops and meetings on Capitol Hill with your Members of Congress.
May 25 – 31	Memorial Day Recess Invite officials to visit your programs to talk to the children about their jobs and what they do to keep your community safe.
May - September	Key Vote-Congress Works on Appropriations Call, write and fax your Senators and Representative. Organize the entire community to call and write letters to their Members of Congress asking for an increase in federal funding for afterschool.
June 29 – July 5	Independence Day Recess Invite your Members of Congress to visit your program and celebrate Independence Day with your students.
July 9	Summer Learning Day Invite district offices to participate in a summer learning day event.  See www.summerlearning.org for more information.
August 9 – September 7	August Recess Meet with your Senators and Representatives in their district offices or invite them to visit your afterschool or summer program
September - October	Key Vote - House & Senate Conference on Appropriations Bills, Send to President Call, fax and write to Congress and President Obama! Make sure they hear how important afterschool programs are to kids in your community and across the country!
October 1	Fiscal year 2010 begins Start a letter writing campaign to the White House urging an increase in funding for afterschool programs in FY 11.