Home > 2007-09 Legislative Agenda > Take Action to Turn These Advocacy Priorities Into Realities

Take Action to Turn These Advocacy Priorities Into Realities
For Wisconsin’s Kids and Families!
Five Easy Ways You Can Become a Voice For Kids!

1. Contact the Governor and urge him to support these advocacy priorities. Pick the one or two that are most important to you or your organization and send the Governor a quick note or pick up the phone and call his office. Speak from the heart and express why those priorities matter to you or to the families you work with. You can email the Governor at www.wisgov.state.wi.us or call him at (608) 266-1212.

2. Contact your legislators and urge them to make these advocacy priorities their priorities. To find out who your legislators are and to obtain their contact information, visit www.legis.state.wi.us or call the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-362-9472.

3. Help change more minds! You might be surprised to learn that a very small group of people can have tremendous influence on state legislators. It only takes a group of about 10 constituents speaking on the same issue to get a legislator to take notice. You can:

Organize 10 friends, colleagues, neighbors, clients call your legislator about these advocacy priorities or, better yet, organize those 10 people into a group that would be willing to meet together with the legislator or his/her staff.

Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Legislators read the opinion pages of their local papers! Letters from constituents on these important advocacy priorities do matter and can have great impact.

Watch for announcements of budget-related public hearings and make sure that at least one advocate – if not more – show up to speak publicly about the advocacy priorities you feel most strongly about.

Invite your legislators to visit your agency or include them on your organization’s mailing list so they can be familiar with the important services you provide.

Look for ways to build coalitions in your part of the state or with other groups and individuals who share your particular advocacy interest. The more individuals and groups all sending the same message about priorities for Wisconsin’s kids and families, the more effective we’ll be.

4. Sign up for the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families’ action alerts or e-newsletters so that you can stay updated as legislation or budget items related to these advocacy priorities progress. You’ll get talking points, links to more detailed resources and information on how to easily contact your legislators.  You’ll also be invited to informational sessions about the state budget and advocacy trainings held in your part of the state.  You can sign up by clicking here.   

5. Join the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families’ Children’s Action Network (CAN!) For as little as $25 per year, you can support the work WCCF does, receive useful information and updates about the issues covered in our legislative priorities, and be part of a statewide network of committed advocates raising their voices for kids on critical issues. You can join by clicking here.