Archive for category: State of the Union

Very Happy Holidays to all of our amazing team members from everyone at

The Borgen Project

Political Updates

Lobbying and Advocacy Efforts

• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in November: 5
• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in 2024: 345
• Lobbying Meetings Goal for 2024: 390

Advocacy Emails

• • Total # of Advocacy Emails in November: 2,291
  • Total # of Advocacy Emails in 2024: 45,493
  • Advocacy Emails Goal for 2024: 84,000
  • % of Congress Emailed Year to Date: 98%

Congressional Office Meetings and Bird Dogging

Senior Program Manager, Amy Jenkins and Political Affairs Team member, Dani Masri met with Representative Neguse’s office (D-CO-2)

Political Affairs Team member, Kate McMonagle met with Brighton MP Sian Berry and her assistant Matt.

Updates from DC

Listen in to hear all of the latest updates from DC.

Recognition

Congratulations to the following team members who have achieved Borgen Project Honors & Recognition

• • • Honors Award (raised $3,000 or more):
      • Regional Director: Blake Lee
      • Advocate: Divya Beeram
    • Chief Closer Award (raised $1,000 or more):  
      • Political Affairs Team: Katherine Soper
    • Articles of the Month: 
      •  Xianshan Botanical Garden in China Tackles Poverty by Yuhan Ji

Visit the Our Team Members page and read about success stories with our organization.

Getting the Word Out

Information Events

Clint spoke at the Bellarmine Preparatory School, WA

Political Affairs Team member, Katherine Soper presented to the Rotary Club of Winnipeg-Charleswood, Canada

One-Mile Campaigns & Mobilizing

Political Affairs Team

Clara Birling, London, UK

Maya Mithani, Pleasanton, CA

Daniela Masri, Tacoma, WA

Katherine Soper, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Content Team

Nalini Vijayakumar, Australia

Letters to the Editor

Political Affairs Team

• Riley Emel Raleigh News & Observer and The News & Observer
• Isaiah LaCombe The News Tribune

PR/Marketing Team

• Amber Walkinshaw
  

Outreach & Mobilizing Materials

Nonprofit Leadership Team member, Mohammed Aakif

Political Affairs Team member, Clara Birling

Fundraising

Political Affairs Team member, Katherine Soper, held a Halloween fundraiser. She had 190 attendees, 6 prizes including a record player with records, a golf kit, a kitchen package, a jet’s prize and a movie night with the three organizers!

Content Team member, Rebecca Aziz held a bake sale

Nonprofit Leadership Team member, Amanda Weiss

Content Team Member, Gufran Elhrari

TikTok

@w.s.volounteerFor more information go to ourcommons.ca Check out the Borgen Project for guidance on how to be an advocate.♬ original sound – w.s.volounteer

Nonprofit Leadership Team member, William Shoukri

The Borgen Project is now on TikTok! Give us a follow @theborgenproject.

Have an idea for a TikTok? Please email them [email protected].

Videos

Political Affairs Team

Isaiah LaCombe

Aditya Alex

Jordan Payne-Knauf

PR/Marketing Team

Olamiposi Akinfolarin

Aiden Miller

Hannah Martin

Ella Campbell

Jiyeon Park

Political Updates

Lobbying and Advocacy Efforts

• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in September: 21
• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in 2024: 304
• Lobbying Meetings Goal for 2024: 390

Advocacy Emails

• Total # of Advocacy Emails in September: 3,390
• Total # of Advocacy Emails in 2024: 40,819
• Advocacy Emails Goal for 2024: 84,000
• % of Congress Emailed Year to Date: 97%

Congressional Office Meetings and Bird Dogging

Amy Jenkins and Political Affairs Team member Maya Mithani met with Representative Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA-14) National Security Advisor

Kim Thelwell and PR/Marketing Team member Bobbee Russell-Verhoef met with Representative Moore’s staff (R-UT-1)

Amy Jenkins, NonProfit Leadership Team member Tyler Conroy and Regional Director Team member Tiffany Li met with Senator Murphy’s office (D-CT)

Political Affairs Team member, Lucas Bedford Comte met with MP Kate Osamor (Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, UK)

Political Affairs Team member Alexia Orban met with Konstantina Vervitas, Senator Rubio’s (R-FL) Outreach Assistant

Regional Director Team member Prabhav Keerthipati was able to bird-dog Representative Bill Foste (D-IL-11)

Political Affairs Team member Fairooz Jahan had a lobbying meeting with MP David Simmonds (Conservative, Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)

Updates from DC

Listen in to hear all of the latest updates from DC.

Recognition

Congratulations to the following team members who have achieved Borgen Project Honors & Recognition

• • • President’s Circle Award (Mobilized 50+ people):
      • • Political Team: Alexia Orban

Visit the Our Team Members page and read about success stories with our organization.

Getting the Word Out

Political Affairs Team member Zach Zeidler with Regional Director Team member Lucrezia Gentili presenting at KCL 1

Content Team member Alissa Naydenova  – Summit with dinner

Nonprofit Leadership Team member Ronan Nealis, Branding Campaign

Political Affairs Team member, Katherine Sopher

Political Affairs Team member Daniela Masri

One-Mile Campaigns & Mobilizing

Political Team

Lucas Bedford Comte

Sheyaun Chaudhry

Bahir Zahine in Toronto, Canada

Anastacia Palmer

Sarah Roshi in Chicago, IL

Lauren McMullen in Sheffield, UK

Content Team member Matilda Phillips, 1-Mile Campaign

Letters to the Editor

Political Affairs Team member Elisabeth Flynn received a personalized, handwritten letter in the mail from Senator Sherrod Brown after a letter to the editor of hers was published – “Ms Flynn – Good letter to PD. Keep speaking out, on social media and to people all over Ohio, Thank you, Sherrod Brown”

PR/Marketing Team

• Isabella Perkovic – CaledonCitizen

Political Affairs Team

• Shayla Stewart – Dayton Daily News
• Musarrat Shaira – Tampa Bay Times

Content Team

• Kipling Newman – The Gazette

Fundraising

Advocate Sasha Richman held a bake and plant sale

Regional Director Tiffany Li held a bake sale

Political Affairs Team member Katherine Soper is planning a Halloween social fundraising event

Political Affairs Team member Nikita Odedra, organized a football tournament for his fundraising.

Content Team member Archie Day, 31st consecutive day cold swim in the Scottish North Sea to raise money and awareness

Nonprofit Leadership Team member Vipasha Patel, flyer for her fundraiser

Political Affairs Team member Lucy Hardman, Fundraising Prize Draw

Political Affairs Team member Shayla Stewart doing a coin drive ‘Change 4 Change’ collection and a raffle

Content Team member Chelsey Saya McLeod washing cars for her fundraiser

Content Team member, Jimmy Nguyen’s fundraising crotchety

Media Outreach

Political Affairs Team member Alannah O’Shea

Political Affairs Team member Ema Bajrami

Videos

Political Affairs Team

Samson Adebayo

Nicholas Schneider

Regional Director Team

Annie Sala

Katherine Soper

Political Updates

Lobbying and Advocacy Efforts

• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in July: 11
• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in 2024: 244
• Lobbying Meetings Goal for 2024: 390

Advocacy Emails

• Total # of Advocacy Emails in July: 6,662
• Total # of Advocacy Emails in 2024: 32,781
• Advocacy Emails Goal for 2024: 84,000
• % of Congress Emailed Year to Date: 96%

Congressional Office Meetings and Bird Dogging

Political Affairs Team members, Annabelle Sala and Walker Rose meeting with Brandon Simon, Senator Cruz’s (R-TX) Central Texas Regional Director

Kim Thelwell and Political Affairs Team members Shayyan Ahmed and Matthew Sotomey, meet with Representation John Sarbanes’ (D-MD-03) staffer, Lily Chang

The Borgen Project Team members, meeting with Senator Duckworth’s (D-IL) staff

Political Affairs Team member Aliyyah Gbadamosi, met with MP Margaret Mullane (Dagenham and Rainham)

Political Affairs Team member Kayla Soetaert, Canada, met with MP Dane Lloyd

The Borgen Project Team members meeting with Senator Gillibrand’s (D-NY) office

Political Affairs Team member Madison Possamai, Bird Dogging Representative Jennifer Stewart (D-RI- 59)

Updates from DC

Listen in to hear all of the latest updates from DC.

Recognition

Congratulations to the following team members who have achieved Borgen Project Honors & Recognition

• • • Capital Achievement Award (raised $2,000 or more):
      • Advocate: Blake Lee
    • Chief Closer Award (raised $1,000 or more):  
      • Nonprofit Leadership Team: Kayla Soetaert
      • Political Affairs Team: Grace Foose, Lily Pellillo
    • Bird-Dog Award: 
      • Political Team: Grace Foose, Annabelle Sala, Media Hosseiny, Prisha Jain
    • President’s Circle Award (Mobilized 50+ people):
      • Political Team: Toluwanimi Famurewa, Yoshita Virdi, Kalee Dickason, Brayden Hunt, Shreya Raman
      • PR/Marketing Team: Maria Williams
    • Article of the Month: 
      • The Labour Party’s Approach to International Development by Carla Messinger

Visit the Our Team Members page and read about success stories with our organization.

Getting the Word Out

Information Events

Political Affairs Team member Madison Possamai, presented to Massacoit Community College and a summer class at Wheaton College, MA

Madison Possamai also presented to her local Rotary Club

One-Mile Campaigns & Mobilizing

Content Team member, Maria Waleed – Yokohama, Japan

Content Team member Deepak Joshi Pokhrel, in Nepal

Regional Director Ava Poehlmann, transform an empty window in VT, USA

Political Affairs Team member Valerie Dib, completed her campaign in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Political Affairs Team member Julian Kukor, Detroit, MI

Madison Possamai – JFK Federal Building in Boston, Massachusetts

PR/Marketing Team member Henry Phelan, Scotland

PR/Marketing Team member Benjamin Suhrstedt, Bainbridge, WA

Content Team member Philip Mundy

PR/Marketing Team member Ruthu Ganesh Jayalakshmamma, London, UK

Letters to the Editor

Political Affairs Team

• Antonella Pecora Ruiz Burlington Local News
• Elisabeth Flynn Cleveland.com
• Yoshita Virdi Loudoun Now
• Ellen Jin Wis Politics
• Jack Ericson Sacramento Bee and Modesto Bee
• Cassandra Schoene St. Louis Post-Dispatch
• Sophia Brazier Yorkshire Bylines
• Carson Davidson Issaquah Reporter

Content Team

• Jonathan McCloud Herald Banner

PR/Marketing Team

• Brandon Simpson – Capital Gazette
• Julia Bobe Portland Tribune and Albany Democrat Herald
• Hailey Alt – Issaquah Reporter, Queen Anne & Magnolia News and Westside Seattle
• Ryan Lesh The Baltimore Sun

Fundraising

PR/Marketing Team member, Danielle Hutchinson – walked Hadrian’s Wall to raise money for her fundraiser

PR/Marketing Team member Isabella Chow, at Dave and Busters – NYC

Political Affairs Team member Andrea Mendoza, had a yard and candy sale

Political Affairs Team member Samrah Syed, hosted a bake sale and raised an incredible $219

Political Affairs Team member Robert Hunter, completed a triathlon event for his fundraiser

Content Team member Carl Massad’s fundraising template

Political Affairs Team member Antonella Pecora Ruiz’s video about her fundraising/awareness summer camp

TikTok

The Borgen Project is now on TikTok! Give us a follow @theborgenproject

Have an idea for a TikTok? Please email them [email protected]

Videos

Political Affairs Team – Isabella Chow

Political Affairs Team member, Meredith Kovarovic

PR/Marketing Team member, Iman Chima

Political Affairs Team member, Dhani Freeland

PR/Marketing Team member, Danielle Hutchinson

Political Affairs Team member, Courtney Brown

PR/Marketing Team member, Callie Finck

Political Updates

Lobbying and Advocacy Efforts

• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in May: 37
• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in 2024: 203
• Lobbying Meetings Goal for 2024: 390

Advocacy Emails

• Total # of Advocacy Emails in May: 3,617
• Total # of Advocacy Emails in 2024: 19,206
• Advocacy Emails Goal for 2024: 84,000
• % of Congress Emailed Year to Date: 91%

Congressional Office Meetings and Bird Dogging

Senior Program Manager, Amy Jenkins and Nishka Gouri met with Hannah Umansky Castro from Representative Norton’s office (D-DC-1)

Senior Program Manager Amy Jenkins and Cara Wong, Political Affairs Team member, met with Aneeb Sheikh, Representative Pressley’s (D-MA-07) Legislative Assistant.

Kim Thelwell, VP, Policy & Communications and Content Team member Jacob Barker,  met with Representative Randy Feenstra’s office (R-IA-4)

Political Affairs Team member Hayden Wilkinson in the UK, met with Prospective Political Candidate Hanif Khan in support of ODA, in the run-up to the UK general elections.

Updates from DC

Listen in to hear all of the latest updates from DC.

Recognition

Congratulations to the following team members who have achieved Borgen Project Honors & Recognition

• • • Chief Closer Award (raised $1,000 or more):  
      • PR/Marketing Team: Isabelle Hickman
    • Article of the Month:
      • Education Cannot Wait: Empowering Children Through Education by Danielle Schaafsma
      • Hand Embroidery in Iran: Using Traditions To Support Women by Richard Sartor

Visit the Our Team Members page and read about success stories with our organization.

Getting the Word Out

Information Events

UK Team member Lucrezia Gentili, Phoebe Wirick, Fiona Specker and Lara Crease, represented The Borgen Project at the RESULTS UK summer gathering on June 9th

Political Affairs Team member, Savannah Kapcoe gave her first class presentation

Political Affairs Team member Sara Nasrallah hosted a tabling event on her university’s campus

One-Mile Campaigns & Mobilizing

PR/Marketing Team

Delara Baria in Nottingham, UK

Diya Shah in Stanmore, UK

Rimsha Sawant in Blackburn, UK

Azza Hani Md Alexirwan in Oxford, UK. Azza works for Holland & Barrett and gained permission to write @BORGENPROJECT.ORG on some of the paper bags.

Political Affairs Team

Mariam Asratashvili in Glasgow, UK

David Zhu in San Jose, CA

Maria Rosaria Bitti in Glasgow, UK

Adam Ribbans in Bedfordshire, UK

Political Affairs Team member, Shovon Banik completed his one-mile campaign in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

Letters to the Editor

Political Affairs Team

• Marta Tavares Fernandes Oakville News

Content Team 

• Madison McCray The Post and Courier

Outreach & Mobilizing Materials

PR/Marketing Team member, Danielle Hutchinson

PR/Marketing Team member, Ege Ulusoy

Regional Director Felipe Mancera

Content Team member, Emily Weir

PR/Marketing Team member, Alicia Ng

Fundraising

Political Affairs Team member, MillaMay Garrow in the UK is having a charity gig as part of her fundraiser. If you are in the area, please support MillaMay!

Political Affairs Team member, Sara Nasrallah held a bake sale at her university

TikTok

@isabellegrace___

PR/Marketing Team member, Isabelle Hickman is completing her 10 x 10 challenge (running 10km for 10 consecutive days) to showcase how some women and girls around the world walk between 6 to 10 kms every day to access clean water. Amazing job Isabelle.

The Borgen Project is now on TikTok! Give us a follow @theborgenproject.

Have an idea for a TikTok? Please email them [email protected].

Videos

PR/Marketing Team

Ruby Cheng

Isabelle Hickman

Hailey Alt

Political Affairs Team

Keaton Walding

Gulce Yegen

Elt Bashar

Fiona Specker

Political Updates

Lobbying and Advocacy Efforts

• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in March: 12
• Total # of Lobbying Meetings in 2024: 72
• Lobbying Meetings Goal for 2024: 390

Advocacy Emails

• Total # of Advocacy Emails in March: 4,272
• Total # of Advocacy Emails in 2024: 12,876
• Advocacy Emails Goal for 2024: 84,000
• % of Congress Emailed Year to Date: 81%

Congressional Updates

PEPFAR PASSED!

Although we were hoping for 5, we’re glad to see PEPFAR’s 1 year reauthorization pass in Congress with bipartisan support. This highly regarded global health program will continue saving the lives of millions and aiding in the response to fight HIV/AIDS worldwide.

In the past year, Borgen Project volunteers mobilized more than 3,000 emails to Congress regarding PEPFAR and our team held more than 100 Congressional meetings to build support for its reauthorization. Thank you all for your advocacy! Read more about the importance of PEPFAR here.

Updates from DC

Listen in to hear all of the latest updates from DC.

Recognition

Congratulations to the following team members who have achieved Borgen Project Honors & Recognition

• • • President’s Circle Award (Mobilized 50+ people):
      • PR/Marketing Team: Esther Elliot
    • Articles of the Month: 

      • The Cultivation of Lychee Fruit Is Changing the Country of Vietnam by Madison McCray

      • Living Wage in Colombia’s Banana Industry by Ben Miley-Smith

Visit the Our Team Members page and read about success stories with our organization.

Getting the Word Out

Information Events

Political Affairs Team member, Adam Ribbans presenting at the University of Lincoln, UK

PR/Marketing Team member, Zachary Hylan conducted his informational event

PR/Marketing Team member, Francis Nwobodo held his focus group at Teesside University, UK

Political Affairs Team member, David Zhu attended a career fair to present about The Borgen Project at Cupertino High School

One-Mile Campaigns & Mobilizing

Political Affairs Team

Jenkin Yuen completed his one-mile campaign in Toronto, Ontario

Daniel Lonic, in Canada

Allison Sheppard in NJ

Aidan Donohue in NJ

Joe Bagley in Lewiston

Brynna Torpey in PA

Robert Hill in Atlanta, GA

Sydney Mailloux in downtown Fort Myers

Steph Thain in London, UK

Moses Sappé in Sheffield, UK

Swalha Ali Abdulcadir in London, UK

PR/Marketing Team

Anna Barbour

Zachary Main

Hana Bui, who also created stickers for coffee cups

Giovanni Coeli

Alyssa Pomales

Nonprofit Leadership Team

Olivia Siyahian

Amelia Klein

Letters to the Editor

Political Affairs Team

• Charles Hill Islington Tribune

PR/Marketing Team 

• Delara Baria Platform Magazine
• Giovanni Coeli Financial Times and The Stork

Outreach & Mobilizing Materials

PR/Marketing Team member, Amara Keeney writing letters to her leaders

Fundraising

Regional Director, Courtney Petersen, held a Trivia night, with Clint in attendance and raised an amazing $2100!

Political Affairs Team member, Del Moazami is selling some old clothes for her fundraising campaign

Content Team member, Phoebe Vaughan and friends, doing a mountain climb for her fundraiser.

Content Team member, Catrin Jones undertook a sponsored walk

Political Affairs Team member, Seb Owers ran the Exeter, UK, half marathon

TikTok

@aidanmdonohue learn how to call congress #fyp #foryoupage #politics #election #democrat #republican #biden #trump #borgenproject ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim

The Borgen Project is now on TikTok! Give us a follow @theborgenproject.

Have an idea for a TikTok? Please email them [email protected].

Videos

PR/Marketing Team

Diya Shah

Lila Russell

Isabelle Hickman

Azza Hani Md Alexirwan

Political Affairs Team

Pari Patel

Jin Young Lee

Sydney Losh

Krista Amoth