Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

Ongoing advocacy opportunities

Feb 04, 2003

ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Campaign is a national public health campaign that urges parents to ask their neighbors if they have a gun in the home before sending their children over to play. Pax USA provides a kit for parents, as well as resources to promote the ASK Campaign and get others involved, including event ideas, a media kit, and flyers. http://www.paxusa.com/ask.html
[last updated 4-22-02]

Cal Healthy Schools provides information and advocacy tools on efforts to reduce pesticide use in schools in California. Includes a new report, Learning Curve, that finds highly toxic pesticides still common in California schools despite 2000 legislation and the negative effects of pesticides on children?’s health. Also has a pesticide action kit on how to campaign for least-toxic pesticide management policies in school districts, with downloadable resources in English and Spanish. Online at http://calpirg.org/healthyschools
[last updated 6-3-02]

California Food Policy Advocates is proposing cost-effective anti-hunger measures and offers talking points on proposed budget reductions to nutrition programs, CalWORKs, and health and child care. CFPA, (415) 777-4422; http://www.cfpa.net
[last updated 1-13-02]

Child Nutrition Reauthorization: California Food Policy Advocates is seeking input for an ambitious and winnable agenda to improve federal child nutrition programs when several come up for reauthorization in 2003. You can weigh in on their proposed advocacy goals and key messages, and share your own ideas through an online, interactive survey. Find out how you can participate and get more information on child nutrition reauthorization at California Voices 4 Children, http://shadeaux.vosn.net/~children/ikonboard/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=3d345b38417fffff;act=ST;f=6;t=17
[last updated 7-22-02]

Children's Advocates Roundtable Working Groups
The Children's Advocates Roundtable is forming subcommittees on child care, health, foster care, and state revenue that are open to everyone. The working groups will focus on legislative, budget, and community activity on these issues in 2003-04.

The foster care working group will meet Nov 13 from 9:30-11:30am at 900 N St, Rm 340 in Sacramento to discuss proposals presented at last month's meeting and new legislation planned for 2003. Conference call access is available.

The child care working group is convening four groups to develop proposals to submit to the Women's Caucus of the state legislature. These groups will focus on license-exempt care; staff compensation, retention, and professional development; provider payments and rate structures; and access, affordability and eligibility. Much of the child care planning process is happening via email. In addition, the December 12th Roundtable meeting will focus on child care proposals. The access, affordability, and eligibility group will meet Jan 14; the license-exempt care group will meet Jan 23. For more information or to participate, contact Jonas Parker, Child Care Law Center, (415) 394-7144; jparker@childcarelaw.org

For more information or to participate in any of the working groups, contact Lupe Alonzo-Diaz, Children's Advocacy Institute, (916) 444-3875; galonzo@SanDiego.edu
[last updated 12-13-02]

Children?’s Defense Fund offers tools for contacting federal lawmakers and media about the need to support new investments in child care. Includes an online action center, organizing toolkit, checklist for advocates, and facts about the importance of child care. Online at http://www.cdfactioncouncil.org/Indexcc.htm. Find out more information, and ways to contact Senators Boxer and Feinstein, at California Voices 4 Children, http://shadeaux.vosn.net/~children/ikonboard/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=3d1b44b92c22ffff;act=ST;f=7;t=32
[last updated 7-8-02]

Children's Programs up for Federal Reauthorization in 2003
In 2003, Congress will decide whether to reauthorize -- and how much to fund -- key programs affecting children and families. Connect for Kids has compiled information and resources on the programs at stake, including the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Child Nutrition Programs, Head Start, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, State Children's Health Insurance Program, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Online at http://www.connectforkids.org/resources3139/resources_
show.htm?attrib_id=4956&doc_id=125985&parent=82761
[last updated 11-9-02]

EdVoice asks advocates to send an "e-fax" to Legislators, urging them to oppose the $1.7 billion cut to education being proposed for the 2003 budget. Find out more at California Voices 4 Children, http://shadeaux.vosn.net/~children/ikonboard/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=3e1de88026d2ffff;act=ST;f=7;t=46
[last updated 1-13-02]

* Give Kids Good Schools, from the Public Education Network, provides information and advocacy tools to parents about the importance making education and qualified teachers a top state priority. Online at http://www.givekidsgoodschools.com/goodteachers/index.html
[last updated 2-1-03]

Housing California is mobilizing a campaign against the governor?’s proposed cuts to housing programs that will include letter-writing, meeting with Legislators during January, and collecting examples of developments and emergency shelters that would be hurt. Housing California, 916-447-0531, http://www.housingca.org/capalert/122002.pdf
[last updated 1-13-02]

Say Yes to Kids Campaign
ACORN Child Care Providers for Action are working to increase state funds for subsidized child care and reimbursement rates for providers without increasing parent fees. They are planning legislative briefings, media trainings, letter writing and call-in days, and coordinated days of actions where parents, providers, and children visit legislators and the Governor. For more information, or to participate, contact ACORN-LA, (213) 747-4211
[last updated 12-13-02]

* Stage 3 Child Care Advocacy, from the Children?’s Network of Solano County, provides information and advocacy tools for parents about proposed cuts to Stage 3 child care, including a sample letter to Governor Davis. Online at http://www.childnet.org/html/davisbudgetcuts.htm
[last updated 2-1-03]

State of the Air 2002, from the American Lung Association, finds that the nation?’s most ozone-polluted metropolitan areas and counties are in California. Has information on the negative impact of high ozone levels on children?’s health. Provides an Action Center to contact legislators in support of clean air. Online at http://www.lungusa.org/air2001/index.html
[last updated 6-3-02]