Advocacy across America

The Voices network of child advocates is working in state capitals and city halls all over the country to create big wins for kids. With Election Day nearing, we’re trying to make the candidates and the media focus on issues important to kids, using election guides. Check out some of our work!

Guides on the issues

Online organizing

Toolkits for advocates

Events

Issues guides for voters and the candidates

• New Mexico Voices for Children produced a citizen’s guide called Vote for Kids! that highlights critical issues affecting kids and includes specific policy positions on those issues (and is being translated into Spanish). Issue areas include: Health care, early care and education, economic security, racial equity, immigration.
• Created  educational materials to use in briefings with candidates, campaign staff and media, including one-pagers and briefs on the the children’s share of the federal budget; how children benefit from the health reform law; the impact of the Farm Bill on kids; the Child Care and Development Block Grant; and reauthorization of the Elementary and Seconadary Education Act (No Child Left Behind).
• Children’s Action Alliance (AZ) developed a candidate questionnaire that was distributed by mail and e-mail to all of the 181 legislative candidates, and posted the responses on their website.
• Voices for Georgia’s Children developed a list of questions to ask candidates for Congress and the State House and Senate.
• Child and Family Policy Center (IA) prepared a side-by-side comparison of the Iowa Republican and Democratic party platforms to use as the basis for an upcoming forum and as a general educational tool for its Children’s Policy Coalition
• Advocates for Children in New Jersey’s What About Kids? Campaign is designed to educate and engage New Jersey’s federal candidates, ACNJ’s network of child advocates and the general public through a range of activities to inform and raise awareness about issues and concerns of children and families, and in particular, the importance of investments in early care and education.
• Children’s Alliance of New Hampshire’s  The New Hampshire Legislative Accountability for Kids 2011-2012 report was developed as a tool for the public and NH CAN partner organizations to review how legislators voted on NH CAN’s priority issues during the past two years. NH CAN partner organizations are also encouraged to share this report with their networks of members, partners and clients.
• Voices for Utah Children created a candidate briefing book, America’s Kids: Our Decisions, Their Future.

Online organizing

• Advocates for Children of New Jersey launched their What About the Kids campaign online, with fact sheets, sample letters to the editor, and other materials to help concerned citizens get involved.
• Good Beginnings Alliance (HI) developed Be My Voice Hawaii website to elevate issues around early childhood education, family strengthening and health services during this election season
• Wisconsin Council on Children and Families developed a one-stop resource online for getting involved for kids in Wisconsin.
• Voices for Colorado’s Children helped create a video in which kids of different ages and backgrounds ask the presidential candidates questions, from “What will you do about the national debt?” to “Do you like sushi?”
• Children’s Alliance of New Hampshire created a election webpage.
• Voices for Utah Children added an election center to the website that contains information on who is running for Governor and Congress along with their bios.

Tools for advocates

• Public Citizens for Children & Youth (PA) developed a toolkit that has materials to help voted raise questions to candidates and a palm card with relevant facts.
• Voices for Michigan’s Children created an election advocacy toolkit to ensure that public officials who represent Michigan constituents put children first!
• Children’s Action Alliance (AZ) hosted meetings with human service agencies to educate about allowable 501(c)(3) activities and the importance of civic engagement.
• Voices for Colorado’s Children developed a toolkit, 2012 Election Action Center,  that includes guides for asking questions, information on the issues, and interactive maps that viewers can use to figure out which districts they live in and who’s running to represent them.
• Voices for Illinois Children developed a 2012 Election Advocacy tool kit that includes guidelines on hosting a community forum, an issue brief on children as priorities, a list of questions for candidates and tips for contacting policy makers.
• Michigan’s Children created an election advocacy toolkit.

Events

• Children’s Action Alliance (AZ) hosted three legislative candidate forums in July. The debates enjoyed attendance of 50-100 people and coverage in the local newspapers, radio and TV.
• Voices for Michigan’s Children created an election advocacy toolkit to ensure that public officials who represent Michigan constituents put children first!