Does advocacy matter? As an individual, can I really make a difference? Will my elected officials notice if I call or set up a meeting with their office? I hear these questions quite often, and at the beginning of my own advocacy journey I often reflected on them. As shown by the Congressional Management Foundation through a 2015 survey, it takes as few as 30 social media single subject postings directed at an elected official to garner the attention of a staffer in their office. Your single action within a collective group can truly make a difference and cause ripples of change on the Hill and in your local communities.
Whether you are making your first phone call to your representatives or your 25th, your voice matters. Since Shot@Life’s inception, champions have collectively held over 2,000 in person meetings with their Congressional offices and have sent 217,000 letters to their members of Congress advocating for global childhood vaccination programs. Thanks to your collaborative efforts and advocacy, you have helped to provide an estimated $225.3 million funding increase for global immunization activities through USAID and the CDC since FY12.
For National Volunteer Appreciation Week, I want to thank and acknowledge every single champion for each action you take throughout the year — no matter how small or large — to ensure children across the globe have access to lifesaving vaccines. I am proud to be part of a nationwide community of individuals who are so passionate and dedicated to helping others and the mission of Shot@Life. You are helping to create positive change on a global scale through your calls, emails, events, letters, and more!
Interested in becoming a Shot@Life Champion? Join us on our next Shot@Life Virtual Champion Training! Click here to learn more and find the dates and times of our monthly webinars.
Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week!