Bob Blancato, Executive Director NANASP Advocacy Begins at Home Webinar

Today’s presentation is sponsored by our good friends and supporters at G.A. Food Service- makers of the nutritious and well-balanced “Sun Meadow Family” line of frozen pre-portioned and emergency food products served worldwide.

NANASP Annual Conference- Decision 2011 July 7 th -9 th Washington, DC Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill Hill Visits for NANASP conference attendees will be on July 7 th

Why is Advocacy So Important this Year (and beyond)? Budget cuts at all levels of government continue to threaten all programs with discretionary spending, including the nutrition programs in the Older Americans Act (OAA) Older Americans Act Reauthorization Continued implementation of the health care reform law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which affects seniors, including the Elder Justice Act.

Advocacy can… Change attitudes and misconceptions Assist seniors in gaining access to resources, funding and information Ensure that older Americans have a voice and that it will be heard Promote positive change to the structure and policy of health aging

Six B’s of Advocacy Be Consistent Be Relevant Be Realistic Be Reliable Build Relationships Become a Resource **A good advocate should meet with members of Congress or their staff.

How to Schedule a Hill Visit To find your Senators and office contact information visit eral/contact_information/se nators_cfm.cfm eral/contact_information/se nators_cfm.cfm To find your Representative go to e/MemberWWW.shtml e/MemberWWW.shtml When you call or the office, ask for the scheduler

Scheduling Continued… Identify yourself as a constituent coming to DC for a Conference and Hill Day scheduled for July 7, You would like to meet with your Senator or Representative. If not available, would like to meet with a legislative staff person—Key Decision makers in order—Senator or Representative, Chief of Staff, Legislative Director, Legislative Assistant. If it is a requirement, you should notify your superior in your office. Also, notify NANASP once your appointment is made.

Prepare for the Meeting Refer to “Key Steps: How to Make Your Visit to Capitol Hill a Success” Practice saying your main message and make yourself comfortable with the issues you will be discussing. If you are in a group hill visit, prior to the meeting, determine roles in order to be sure key message (s) are delivered.

During the Meeting Introduce yourself and mention NANASP. Thank the Senator/Representative or staff member for taking the time to meet. Deliver the Message- “I am a constituent that works in a program that serves____#____ seniors every day. Higher fuel, energy and food costs are causing problems for my program as demand is rising. Flat or reduced funding means seniors will go hungry in your area.” Have a distinct fact sheet or handout, also known as a leave behind to give to the Member or staff member. If possible, provide local data. Don’t offer your political views and don’t blame the Senator or Representative for the state of the economy.

During the Meeting… State your message clearly and concisely and also be a good listener. Hill visits often can be used as a fact finding or information gathering activity. Answer questions to the best of your ability and if you don’t know the answer, follow up after the meeting. Whatever the outcome of the meeting, be sure to thank the Member or staff member for his/her time.

After the Meeting Write down information you learned while it is fresh in your mind. Alert NANASP staff on the results of your meeting. Follow up with a thank you or letter. Include any follow up information you promise to provide. Monitor future developments and continue to share views and provide local perspective and BUILD THE RELATIONSHIP.

Questions/Comments Please direct questions on scheduling and preparing for hill visits to Shannon Donahue at