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 to finalize the Fiscal Year 2025 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.

If you are not yet a Shot@Life Champion but are interested in getting more involved in global vaccine advocacy this fall, you sign our petition here and sign up for an upcoming advocacy training here.

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 fully 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.    

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.

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.

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: 

We can help you find a publication, brainstorm ideas, serve as another set of eyes to proofreading, and answer any questions you have. You can view our instructional YouTube video or see past publications here.

Calling your legislators is a quick and easy way to advocate for global childhood immunizations directly. 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. 

We will be providing updated calling resources, including a patch-through line, in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned.

Help spread the word about Mobilize to Immunize, World Polio Day, and World Pneumonia Day with your social networks USING OUR TOOLKIT.

If you aren’t already, be sure to follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram at @shotatlife and Facebook at @shotatlifecampaign. 

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.