Saturday, August 16, 2014

August 2014 Newsletter

RESULTS Austin Newsletter - August 2014





RESULTS volunteers of Austin celebrate a productive 1st half of the year.  We’ve generated a steady stream of media, met with members of congress face to face and have had success in urging them to take specific actions.  Both the U.S. and globally focused teams have built momentum and are helping to create the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty
Pictured here are: Jim Comer, Cheyanda Onuoha and Sarah Yanes -- RESULTS Austin volunteers in DC.  With them are Myranda Laursen of San Antonio, and Akanksha Dutta, a health expert from India.



Commitment to the Global Partnership for Education
In May our Austin global team generated three pieces of media, supporting our education campaign.   We inspired an editorial ("Global education push needs U.S. help") and two letters-to-the-editor ("Support global education initiative" & "U.S. should back global schooling"), all printed in the Austin American Statesman.
With this media in hand, we asked our representatives to weigh in with the President on the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) - the only multilateral partnership focused exclusively on ensuring all children have access to a quality education. The GPE uses an innovative and effective model, bringing together civil society, private sector, donor governments and low-income countries to achieve the Education for All goals. It works by developing and funding high quality national education plans.
On June 10th we hit the jackpot when Congressman Michael McCaul agreed to send a letter to the President encouraging him to commit robust funding for the GPE.  Since McCaul is Chairman of Homeland Security his support proved to be especially helpful.
Within days GPE held their funding conference and the US pledged $40 million to the GPE for 2014, plus $50 million for 2015.  This was a significant increase over the $20 million the U.S. had contributed to GPE previously, but much less than the $250 million over two years RESULTS volunteers sought.



RESULTS Austin U.S. poverty team builds awareness on EITC

… in the media and with Congress

In 1975 Gerald Ford signed into law the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is designed to “make work pay,” and to move a family with a full-time low-income worker above the poverty line.

Only working taxpayers are eligible for the EITC and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Studies consistently show that the two credits incentivize wage earners to earn more.  The more low-wage workers earn, the higher their tax credit and the more disposable income they have.  There are 1.2 million working Texans and 647,000 children who have been lifted out of poverty by the EITC and the CTC.  Nationally 15 million people were lifted out poverty in 2012. 

This spring, volunteer Anne McCulloch met with Congressman Roger Williams and explained how the EITC reduces poverty in two ways:  (1) by encouraging work and (2) by supplementing the wages of low-paid poor or near-poor workers.  In June Sarah Yanes journeyed to D.C. and met with members and their staff, educating them about the importance of the EITC.  In August new volunteer Glenn Ross met with Rep. Lamar Smith’s local staffer, Mike Asmus and discussed the EITC.

Glenn Ross got an excellent EITC letter printed in the Austin paper in July.  This builds on the successful media track record of the domestic team who got three letters about SNAP food assistance printed last fall (Alice, Gail, & Ginger’s letters).

Using media to educate the public and reaching out directly to educate elected representatives, the domestic RESULTS team is building support for strategies that directly address poverty in America.


Global Health:  Immunizations for All Children

Immunizing children worldwide is the most impactful and efficient strategy to promote global health, save lives and produce a significant economic gains. The GAVI Alliance’s mission is to increase access to immunization in poor countries. To achieve this, GAVI shapes the markets for vaccines by providing incentives for the pharmaceutical industry to invest in research and production.  This has cut the cost of vaccines up to 90%. GAVI is a partnership building upon the strengths of the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF. RESULTS is campaigning to ensure strong support for GAVI at their upcoming replenishment conference in January 2015.

House Resolution 688, expressing support for GAVI was introduced in July. Representative Michael McCaul was an original cosponsor of the resolution and Representative Doggett has also become a cosponsor.  RESULTS Austin volunteers are working to sign up more cosponsors. We'll be reaching out to the community and generating media in order to move our Representatives and Senators to take action.  We invite you to join our campaign for a meaningful U.S. pledge to GAVI.

RESULTS Austin 2014 Benefit
Saturday November 22, 2014
6:00 pm - Reception
6:45pm - Program
Refreshments will be served

Pat Hayes Education Center
at  Dell Children's Medical Center
4900 Mueller Blvd.  Austin, TX


Keynote speaker:
former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General
& RESULTS Board Member

         
Seeds of Hope Honoree:
Dr. Coburn Allen 
Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician  
at Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas
&
Medical Director of myLIFEspeaks medical clinic in Haiti


For more information or to get involved, contact Anne Child:
childanne@gmail.com; 512-919-9271
www.results.org

FLORIDA:  A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE.  REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.  (Registration #CH33878/CH33887). 20113006692  20113006693  CHR.0010765  CHR.055275  CH009249  CHOO9325  01060798  448-446-5  448-448-1  22020  22021  051997  CO8872  C08873  CO-066-11 CO-110-11  19126  19127  CH3370000  CH3369700  SL006457  SL006459  95-3747267  42208  42218  39831  39832  9704438  9704439  P19885  P19886  8141056-CHAR  6555684-CHAR  9716  30088  11969-800  11970-800 CS48625  T48627  135154079  135136988 9A527 9A525

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