State of the Union July 2025

Stepping for Change Challenge

Summer 2025 Competition

Win a Trip to Lobby or Dine with The Borgen Project!

The Borgen Project’s Stepping for Change Challenge is a global fundraising competition that turns your physical steps into advocacy for ending extreme poverty.

By tracking your steps, you can raise donations to support our lobbying efforts to protect and grow foreign aid budgets.

The person who raises the most will win a two-night trip to either lobby their Government officials or meet and have dinner with Clint Borgen! Ask your manager for further details.

Political Updates

Lobbying and Advocacy Efforts

Total # of Lobbying Meetings in June: 40
Total # of Lobbying Meetings in 2025: 217
Lobbying Meetings Goal for 2025: 325

Advocacy Emails

- Total # of Advocacy Emails in June: 3,370
- Total # of Advocacy Emails in 2025: 19,045
- Advocacy Emails Goal for 2025: 50,000
- % of Congress Emailed Year to Date: 86%

Congressional Office Meetings and Bird Dogging

Political Affairs Team member, Sanjitha Kolthur held a meeting with MP Sherry Romanado’s (Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne) Legislative Director

Kim Thelwell & Team members from various programs met with Sen. Markey’s staffer, Innocent

Political Affairs Team member, Kaiden Kassam held a meeting with MP Connie Cody (Cambridge, Canada)

Political Affairs Team member, Kyle Hugdahl held a meeting with MP Jonathan Wilkinson’s (North Vancouver—Capilano) Constituency Director, Cynthia Bunbury

Political Affairs Team member, Luismiguel Ocampo bird-dogged Representative Dave Min (D-CA-47)

Advocate Team member, Allison Chi bird-dogging Congresswoman McBride

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 $2000 or more):
  - Political Team: Karlo Imper-Vuletic
- Chief Closer Award (raised $1,000 or more):
  - Political Team: Anisa Williams
  - PR/Marketing Team: Charlotte Faricy
- Bird-Dog Award:
  - Political Team: Pamela Ortega, Michaela Swartz, Luismiguel Ocampo
- Article of the Month: The Vicious Cycle of Weapon Contamination in Ethiopia by Helena Pryce