State of the Union August 2017

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Note from the President: I’m loving the Summer 2017 stats! Lobbying, advocacy emails, articles, fundraising… the list goes on, but we’re seeing record or near-record numbers across multiple areas of our work. August is a crucial month for advocacy. Members of Congress are home for the month and you have lots of opportunities to attend events where they’re speaking or secure lobbying meetings. Members of Congress are known to go home in August with one view on a bill or issue and return to D.C. in September with a completely different stance. Take advantage of this “mind-changing” month and give them the incentive to focus on extreme poverty. Get your Bird-Dog on and orchestrate public pressure. As one Senator told me, he rarely goes to a town hall where someone doesn’t speak out against foreign aid. We need to change that. The majority of Americans care about the world’s poor and we need to make sure Congress is hearing from those people.

~Clint Borgen
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Political Updates
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Lobbying Efforts

Total Lobbying Meetings in July: 59
Total Lobbying Meetings Since the Start of the Year: 295 – We are getting closer to our goal!
2017 Goal: 400

Advocacy Emails

Total Advocacy Emails in July: 8,139 – Another record month!
Total Advocacy Emails Since the Start of the Year: ~39,000
% of Congress Emailed Since the Start of the Year: 95% [hr]

Key Committees

Take a look at our Key Congressional Leaders page. As of August 1st, we have met with more than 50% of the members of these key committees. Our goal is to meet with 100%! Below are the Members of Congress (broken down by committee) whose offices we still have not met with this year. If you are in these states and districts, keep up your calls & emails and get your friends & family to help with your efforts as well. We want to keep up the momentum of political access we’ve had over the few past months.

Senate Foreign Relations: Jim Risch (R-ID), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Tom Udall (D-NM).

Senate Appropriations: Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Boozman (R-AR), James Lankford (R-OK), Steven Daines (R-MT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).

House Foreign Relations: Mo Brooks (R-AL 5th), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA 48th), Christopher Smith (R-NJ 4th), Lee Zeldin (R-NY 1st), Steven Chabot (R-OH 1st), Scott Perry (R-PA 4th), Jeff Duncan (R-SC 3rd), Ted Poe (R-TX 2nd), Tom Garrett (R-VA 5th), Eliot Engle (D-NY 16th), Gregory Meeks (D-NY 5th), Karen Bass (D-CA 37th), William Keating (D-MA 9th), David Cicilline (D-RI 1st), Lois Frankel (D-FL 22nd), Brendan Boyle (D-PA 13th), Thomas Suozzi (D-NY 3rd), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY 3rd), and Ted Lieu (D-CA 33rd).

House Appropriations: Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ 11th), Robert Aderholt (R-AL 4th), Ken Calvert (R-CA 42nd), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL 25th), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE 1st), Andy Harris (R-MD 1st), David Young (R-IA 3rd), Steven Palazzo (R-MS 4th), Dan Newhouse (R-WA 4th), Scott Taylor (R-VA 2nd), Jose Serrano (D-NY 15th), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL 23rd), Henry Cuellar (D-TX 28th), and Michael Quigley (D-IL 5th).

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Meeting Members of Congress

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Representative Albio Sires (D-NJ 8th) tweeted a photo from a meeting in his office with Clint & Board Member, Don Girskis.

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Former Political Affairs team member, Tanisha Pruitt, met up with Clint on Capitol Hill during his trip to D.C. in July.

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Kate Cook, Political Affairs team, met with Kamal Fulani, North Texas Regional Deputy Director, for Senator John Cornyn (R-TX).

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Regional Director, Nate Fowler, bird-dogged at a local event and met Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN 5th). Ellison is also the Deputy Chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

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Cole Byram, Political Affairs team, met with a staffer at Senator Todd Young’s office (R-IN).

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Ohio Republican Party State Dinner July 2017

Political Affairs team member, Imani Fields, was invited to this year’s dinner. Take a look at some of the pictures from the event and read about her experience.

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2017 Ohio Republican Party State Dinner – Program

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Imani Fields in the lobby.

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Event attendees in the lobby.

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Imani with Miami of Ohio University College Republicans and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine (center).

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Imani with Miami of Ohio University College Republicans and Ohio Congressman Warren Davidson – 8th District (center).

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Imani with Miami of Ohio College Republicans and Ohio Secretary of State, Jon Husted (center).

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Imani with Miami of Ohio University College Republicans and Ohio State Senator Frank LaRose, District 27 (center).

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Imani with Miami of Ohio University College Republicans and Ohio State Senate Representative Kirk Schuring, District 48 (2nd from left).

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I was invited to attend the Ohio Republican Party State Dinner on July 22, 2017. Hundreds of leaders and activists from all around Ohio, came out to support not only the continued growth of the Republican Party, but also the future prosperity of this country. The evening started off with an introduction by the chairperson of the Ohio Republican Party. She was followed by our very own U.S. Senator Rob Portman, who was given the honor of introducing the featured guest, Vice President Mike Pence. He gave a very passionate and uplifting address, and many displays of joy and appreciation could be seen and heard throughout his entire speech. As the dinner commenced, there was an award ceremony and then a section designated to the Republican candidates for governor of Ohio. They were each given time to briefly explain their positions and why they would be the best fit; and while I already know who I am voting for, it was still great to hear all of the positive things they have already accomplished, and what they have planned for this great state going forward. There were appearances by Senator Kevin Bacon, State Auditor Dave Yost, Attorney General Mike DeWine (who I had met previously), Congressman Jim Renacci, my U.S. Representative Warren Davidson (in terms of ‘dual citizen’) and so many more! It was an honor to be able to be a part of such an incredible event.
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Warren’s Address[hr_invisible]

Here is the latest from Warren about the goings-on in Washington D.C.

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2017 Mobilizing Competition Update: Only 2 Weeks Left!

Our current leader has submitted 150 names!

The Mobilizing Star Award will go to any volunteer or intern that mobilizes 20 or more people within one of the Key Congressional Districts. Mobilizing Star Award winners also receive a $25 Amazon gift card (multiple winners may be selected).

The Mobilizing Master Award will go to the volunteer or intern that mobilizes the most people (a minimum of 50) to email Congress by the end of the competition. The winner will receive a free trip to Seattle – including two nights stay at a hotel, a visit to The Borgen Project headquarters, and dinner with Clint Borgen and his wife. In the event the winner lives in the Seattle area and/or would prefer a trip to lobby in Washington, D.C. that can be arranged alternatively. The winner will be announced on September 8, 2017.

Important Eligibility Criteria:

Only individuals emailing their leaders via the advocacy templates on borgenproject.org will be counted
Emails must have been sent between June 19, 2017 through August 31, 2017
Names of those you have mobilized must be submitted in the Mobilizing List spreadsheet format by September 1, 2017 – contact your team manager for the spreadsheet
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Content Team Updates

Here are the latest statistics from the Content Team.

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Between July 2016 and July 2017: 51% increase in Sessions, 52% increase in Users, and 46% increase in Pageviews.

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Between July 2016 and July 2017: 53% increase in Sessions, 55% increase in Users, and 179% increase in Pageviews!

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HR Team Updates

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There is a 69% increase in applicants: July 2016 vs. July 2017.

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Recognition

Congratulations to the following team members who achieved Borgen Project Honors and Recognition.

Bird-dog Award: John Hardie, Political Affairs team.

Chief Closer Award: Alena Zafonte, Content team; Amanda Quinn, Content team; Cody deDianous, Political Affairs team; Emilia Otte, Content team; Emily Chazen, Content team; Jared Gilbert, Content team; Joshua Spooner, Content team; Kendra Richardson, Content team; Peter D. Spradling, Regional Director; Rilee Pickle, Content team; Ryan Linnen, Political Affairs team; Ryan Mash, Political Affairs team; Sabrina Cera, PR/Mktg; Sean Newhouse, Content team; Sophie Nunnally, Content team; and Sydney Cooney, Content team.

President’s Circle: John Hardie, Political Affairs team; Ryan Linnen, Political Affairs team; and Ryan Mash, Political Affairs team.

Public Outreach Award: Cameron Jones, Political Affairs team; Chelsea Jones, PR/Marketing team; John Hardie, Political Affairs team; and Ryan Mash, Political Affairs team.
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Visit the Our Team Members page and read about success stories with our organization.

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Getting the Word Out
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Here are some of the latest ways our team members are spreading the word about The Borgen Project and global poverty issues.

Letters to the Editor

Kaitlyn Nolte, Political Affairs team, Foreign aid spending benefits the U.S., in inforum.com.

Patrick Greeley, Content team, Spreading awareness can make substantial difference, in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

Zelia Little, PR/Marketing team, Bringing change now can help Mississippi, in the Clarion Ledger.
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One-Mile Campaigns

Kaitlin Quaste, PR/Marketing team member, ran a 5K wearing a Borgen Project t-shirt and chalked trails.

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[hr_invisible] Fellow PR/Marketing team member, Madeline Wiles, designed tree tags for her campaign.

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Charlotte Wallis set up a table at a farmer’s market.

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Brandon Bistodeau and friend.

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Sabrina Cera holding one of her handmade signs.

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Haley Abraham with one of the fliers she designed for her campaign.

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YouTube

Political Affairs team member, Christianna Palermo, created this video about the International Affairs budget and addressed it to Senator Gillibrand (D – NY), Senator Schumer (D – NY), and Representative Paul Tonko (D – NY 20th).

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Mobilizing

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HR team member, Mary Harriet Moore, organized a swarm with her volleyball teammates.

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Fellow HR team member, Emma O’Rourke, organized a swarm with her friends over a game of cards and drinks.

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Political Affairs intern, Caroline Slack, went to the MO POP Festival and created a swarm of socially conscious festival goers in support of the restoration of aid for the State Department and International Affairs Budget. Here’s Caroline with members of the musical project Jay Som. Caroline had them research the importance of foreign aid during their weekend stay.

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Sean Newhouse, Content Team, spoke at a Young Democrats of Westmoreland County meeting. He gave a presentation on what The Borgen Project does and discussed the benefits of foreign aid. All attendees emailed Congress in support of the Economic Opportunity and Development Act. The organization posted The Borgen Project’s information on their social media which assisted with Sean’s mobilization efforts.

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Fundraising

Take a look at some of the fundraising activities our Content Team has been up to this past month.
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Brandi Gomez raised $400 at her fundraiser held at a Chuck-E-Cheese’s.

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Kristen Reesor made these donation jars as part of her fundraising activities.

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Irena Huang held a bake sale and raised $151.

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[hr_invisible] Kelly Hayes held a garage sale/bake sale and raised $200.

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[hr_invisible]Amanda Quinn created donation jars and held a yard sale. One of her jars was placed at a local coffee shop and a larger jar was placed at her yard sale.

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[hr_invisible] Emily Trosclair organized a 5K fundraiser for The Borgen Project. Emily secured sponsors for the event, had 50+ participants, and raised $700.