Saturday, February 14, 2009

Zip up your Snuggies to fight HIV & TB:Snuggie Pubcrawl 4/18

As of this posting, 1521 people are registered to put on the "blanket with sleeves" and go on a Chicago Pub Crawl. Honestly, this is so up my alley, I'm ashamed I didn't think of it...drinking beer, walking around Chicago, wearing a blanket, fighting extreme poverty. (singing) These are a few of my favorite things...!!!!

The SnuggiePubCrawl.com team is donating proceeds from the event to the AC-Orphanage in Arusha, Tanzania. AC-Orphanage rescues orphans from the streets of Tanzania whose parents have been victims of HIV and TB. Your donations will go directly to providing food, clean water, clothing and schooling for these children.

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Attend the First-Ever Snuggie™ Pub Crawl in Chicago
In response to the stunning public embrace of the warm and cuddly Snuggie™, the SnuggiePubCrawl.com Team is hosting the first-ever Snuggie™ Pub Crawl in Chicago. Even though it's just a blanket with sleeves, we're sure that you'll enjoy a winter evening spent drinking with friends and the Snuggie™.

What: A pub crawl in Chicago wearing Snuggies™

When: Saturday, April 18th
(Note: The date has been changed from March 21st to allow for additional time for our guests to acquire their Snuggies™ and for the bars to prepare for our volume)

Where: To-be-announced.
There will be multiple bars, entertainment, bands and drink specials.

BYO-Snuggie™ Bring your own Snuggie™
We are not providing our guests with Snuggies™. Purchase your Snuggie™ before February 28th to ensure it will arrive before the event.

Take 10 Seconds to Secure $1 Billion for the Global Fund

From RESULTS...

Take 10 Seconds to Secure $1 Billion
The Global Fund's Success Is Causing a Shortage of Life-Saving Funds

Hi Friends,

I have an urgent, and simple, request. Hopefully by now, you've heard that the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria is facing a serious funding shortfall, totalling $5 billion. Unless more money is contributed to the Global Fund in the next few months, existing and future grants are at risk of being cut by 25%. The stakes couldn't be higher. We need your help to make sure the US contributes its fair share for 2009, which means $1 billion in additional funds beyond what has already been approved.

Can you take 10 seconds in the next 24 hours to email President Obama and ask him to include $1 billion for the Global Fund in a supplemental spending bill this Spring?

Unlike the big banks and investment companies that have been before Congress in the last year with their hands out, the Global Fund did not mismanage its money; rather the Fund exceeded expectations and outperformed themselves. This financial shortfall is a result of success, not negligence. Isn't it time, we as a country, rewarded that? We must provide the Global Fund with a commitment for $1 billon in the emergency supplemental.

Ask President Obama to include $1 billion in the defense emergency supplemental to help fill the Global Funds funding gap.

Many groups that RESULTS works closely with are also emailing the White House today. If we all take 10 seconds in the next 24 hours to email President Obama, we can show that thousands of people across this country support the US spending money to not just bail out big banks, but also to save millions of lives.

It's easy. Just click on TAKE ACTION , type in your name, and hit send. 10 seconds to help win $1 billion to save lives - what could be easier than that.

Thank you

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Global Food Security Act

Some quick notes about the Global Food Security Act introduced last week. The news has an IL aspect as Sen Durbin is now an original sponsor!

-Sens. Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced their Global Food Security Act (S. 384) last week, joined by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) as an original sponsor.

-The bill seeks to improve coordination of programs that support global food security; increase the resources available for agriculture, rural development, and nutrition programs; and create a fund for immediate food emergency response.

- A similar bill is expected to be introduced in the House.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Jeffery Sachs on Maddow: Global Fund shortage

Hey all,

Here is info about the international economist and anti-poverty activist, Jeffery Sachs appearing on Rachel Maddow talking about the TB, AIDS an Malaria issue my RESULTS group has been lobbying Jan Schakowsky about. -ccyl


Jeffrey Sachs will be on Rachel Maddow's show tonight, February 11.
The Rachel Maddow Show airs on MSNBC at 9:00-10:00 pm ET. He will be
discussing the $5 billion funding gap for the Global Fund to Fight
AIDS, TB, and Malaria, and why donor countries should not back down
from their commitments. Tune in!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Bread for the World Calls on Congress to Finalize Economic Recovery Package

Bread for the World Calls on Congress to Finalize Economic Recovery Package

Washington, DC, February 10, 2009 – Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann issued the following statement regarding the passage of the $838 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by the U.S. Senate today. It now goes to a committee to reconcile it with the House version passed recently:

“Congress has spoken loudly and clearly with the passage of the Senate and House versions of the economic recovery package, and we urge the conference committee to follow suit before the upcoming President’s Day recess. After all, helping struggling families is not an alternative to preserving and creating jobs, it is in fact one of the most effective ways to preserve and create jobs.

“Dollar for dollar, investments in programs that put money in the hands of low-income people – like SNAP (food stamps) and unemployment benefits -- generate more in economic stimulus than they cost. Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com and a former adviser to John McCain during his presidential run, has determined that for every dollar of federal investment, the SNAP program produces $1.73 in economic stimulus, and extended unemployment benefits produce $1.64.

“Speed is of the essence. Since December 2007, the economy has shed 3.6 million jobs, about half of them in the last three months. The unemployment rate released recently, of 7.6 percent or 600,000 jobs, is the highest since 1992.”