ADVOCACY TOOLKIT
Every fall during Mobilize to Immunize, Shot@Life advocates from across the nation raise their voices to help increase vaccine access for children and people around the world around key moments like World Polio Day (Oct. 24) and World Pneumonia Day (Nov. 12). As Congress works towards finalizing the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, advocates from all 50 states will rally together to encourage policymakers to fund investments in global vaccine programs in the U.S. budget and raise awareness around the importance of vaccine equity.

Get involved:
This page includes a toolkit highlighting a variety of ways you can get involved. Please report any advocacy actions you take by filling out this form: shotatlife.org/report

Take a few minutes to ask Congress to fund global immunization programs in the coming fiscal year. The easiest way to send an email to your elected officials is by signing our petition, which automatically sends emails to your members of Congress. The petition has a default message, but we encourage you to personalize it with your story/why you care about this issue.
In a rapidly changing global health landscape, it is more important than ever before to protect the progress made through global immunization programs.
You can also easily mobilize your community by asking others to sign the petition—this could be as simple as posting the link on social media or putting a slide on a screen with a QR code during a meeting for a school/community group/professional organization that you’re involved with.
Let Congress know you support global immunization.
Sign Our Petition
Meeting with your congressional offices is the highest-impact advocacy action that you can take all year. Whether you are a seasoned Shot@Life advocate, or this will be your first time setting up meetings, we are here to support you throughout the process — including scheduling, preparing for, and holding your meetings. We can also connect you with Shot@Life Champions in your state who are already scheduling meetings this fall.
Meetings can take some time to schedule, so please request them ASAP (if you don’t have a contact in your in-district office already, we can help you find the best method for contacting the office).
If you’re planning to request meetings, you have questions on how to do so, or you would like to join meetings already set up by other Champions, please let us know by emailing champions@shotatlife.org.
View meeting materials, including talking points, leave-behinds for your office, and more.
View Meeting Materials
Sharing that you care about global immunization efforts and why is a great way to spread the word to your network and your lawmakers. One of the best ways to do that is to get published! Options include writing a letter or submitting an op-ed to your local newspaper, sharing a short piece in a local or state newsletter for an organization or club you’re involved with, or including a brief article or mention in any kind of professional publication.
Published Examples:
- Polio: Seeking Support for All the Children by Lorna Schumann
- Giving Every Child a Shot at Life by Mary Singer
We can help you find a publication, brainstorm ideas, serve as another set of eyes to proofreading, and answer any questions you have. Check out some past letters to the editors (LTEs) to get some inspiration!
Please contact the communications team at media@shotatlife.org if you have any questions.
View Publication Resources
Calling your legislators is a quick and easy way to advocate for global childhood immunizations directly.
We will be updating our call script regularly to reflect the ongoing changes enacted by the new Administration. As such, please check back consistently to ensure that you are using the most up-to-date version of our call script.
Shot@Life has an automatic call-in system that makes it easier than ever to contact your policymakers’ offices. Click the button below for detailed instructions and a call script.
To make the biggest impact, make your calls on our Call-In Day on Tuesday, October 24 (World Polio Day) when Shot@Life advocates across the country will also be calling their representatives.
TIP: If you don’t know who your House representative is, you can look it up here.
If you aren’t able to join us on call-in day, you can call any time using the linked resources as a guide.
View Call Resources
Help spread the word about Mobilize to Immunize, World Polio Day, and World Pneumonia Day with your social networks USING OUR TOOLKIT. Stay tuned, as this toolkit will be continuously be updated throughout the fall.
More on Vaccine Advocacy
Before you advocate, it’s important to be informed about global health and the congressional budget process. Read more about vaccine-preventable diseases below and check out other resources to make sure you’re up to date.
Connect the Dots: Climate and Health
As the global climate crisis grows, its effects are becoming increasingly visible—not just through rising sea levels or extreme weather, but also in a more insidious form: the spread of infectious diseases.
Urgency and Resilience In Africa’s Mpox Response
A year after declaring mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the World Health Organization has removed the status as cases decrease overall. But the fight to contain the deadly virus is far from over.
3 Takeaways from UNGA80
From the spotlight on noncommunicable diseases to the push for sustaining our progress against polio, global health was of utmost importance at UNGA80. Keep on reading for our three takeaways from (and around) this year’s Assembly.
Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Learn more about vaccine-preventable diseases and how our UN partners are working to keep children safe from them.
