Fwd: Time for Lunch Campaign - Calling Rep. McMorris Rodgers

[Slow Food Spokane River Hall]

Hello Slow Food Spokane River Community,

You might remember the potluck in the park we hosted last Labor Day to promote knowledge about the Childhood Nutrition Act, up for renewal (only every 5yrs).  The nationwide visibility did help promote conversation and education about the inadequate funding for School Lunch and other critical  programs.  Now it's time to act - please read the request from the National Slow Food office for people who care about our youth and good food options to contact Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

Write or call NOW - it needs to happen by the end of 7/14!

http://mcmorris.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=82&sectiontree=4,82

509-353-2374

Let her know you support full funding of Child Nutrition Bill (H.R. 5504). 

Thanks!

FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE... Hi Slow Food Spokane River,

I’m a volunteer intern at the Slow Food USA national office. I’m writing to let you know that there is an opportunity right now for Slow Food members and supporters in your area to make a difference in the campaign for better school food. This week is a key moment when phone calls from your chapter can have a large impact.

The legislator to call is Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, from Washington's 5th Congressional District. She sits on the committee that will be marking up the Child Nutrition Bill (H.R. 5504) next week. Can you ask your chapter’s members to make a quick phone call urging Rep. McMorris Rodgers to quickly pass a fully funded bill? Even if some of your chapter members are not Rep. McMorris Rodgers' constituents, they can still call their own Representative and urge them to ask their colleagues on the Committee to support better school food. Legislators are in their home districts this week, so you can call them at their local offices.

It’s taken a long time for the bill to reach this point, and if we don’t act now, the bill may get stalled for another year and school lunch programs will be stuck with the status quo.

I’ve included a phone script below. Please feel free to send me an email or call the office with any questions or comments, or if you just want to let us know how things are going. Thanks so much for all of your work. I really appreciate it.

Best wishes,

Christine Binder
Advocacy Intern, Slow Food USA

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Calling Representatives on the Ed & Labor Committee

1.    Visit your representative’s web site to find the phone number of their district office (http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt).

2.    Call. When the receptionist answers, say you’re a constituent (“I live in CITY/TOWN”) and that you’d like to share a comment about child nutrition.

3.    Relay this message:

“I’m calling because my local schools need healthier school lunches. Can Representative _________ work to bring the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act of 2010 (H.R. 5504) to a vote quickly, and to fully fund the bill with at least $1 billion more per year?”

4.    If the legislator’s position is the same as yours, thank the staff member. If it’s not, explain why you care about healthy school food.

5.    If you don’t get through, leave a voicemail. Say your name and phone number, where you’re from, and whom you represent. Relay the key message.

6.    Email timefo...@slowfoodusa.org to say you called.

7.    If you’d like to know more about the Child Nutrition Bill before you call (or if the staff person asks you for more information), here’s some information on the Slow Food USA blog (www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/blog_post/celebrity_chef_and_army_general_urge_congress_to_fix_school_lunch) and on the Time for Lunch web site (www.slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch).

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Christine Binder
Advocacy Intern
Office days: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday

Slow Food USA
20 Jay Street, Suite M04
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Tel 718 260 8000 x151
Fax 718 260 8068
www.slowfoodusa.org