Healthcare for the Holidays
Thank you so much for participating in Healthcare for the Holidays! Reaching out to your representative in the House of Delegates now will make him or her aware of our desire for Healthcare Expansion going into the new year, just in time for 2018’s General Assembly session. If each delegate hearspersonally from 200 constituents, be it by phone call, postcard, or both,Healthcare Expansion could very well become a reality in Virginia!
Here’s how to organize a phonebank/letter-writing party:
Set a goal. How many personal calls/letters would you like to generate?Set a goal that is possible yetambitious. Could you get 10, 20 or even 50 or more?
Promote the opportunity. If possible, promote the phone bank/letter-writing opportunity ahead of time. Announceit in your newsletter or bulletin. Post flyers. Encourage people to visit to read-up on the issues. Tell people you will help them find out who their delegates are.
Help people find their elected leaders. Many people do not know who their Delegates and Senators are. Do not embarrass people by asking them. Simply be prepared to help them look up the information. Given how gerrymandered many of the district lines are, you will need to have district maps or computers available to help people identify who represents them. The easiest way to determine people’s districtsis by entering their addresses at the Who is my Legislator? system has not yet been updated to give the correct, new names of delegates. However, we have a list of the new delegates and their House District (HD) available upon request.
Collect supplies. You will need:
- Tell phone bank participants to bring their cell phones with them
- Paper (or assorted notecards/greeting cards/postcards*)
- Envelopes
- Pens
- Stamps (you can ask people to contribute for the stamp)
- Background factsheets on Medicaid Expansion (that you can download from VICPP)
- VICPP sign-up sheets (downloadable)
- Maps of the Delegate and Senate districts in your area or a computer with internet access to check people’s districts (
- Sample letters (download from VICPP)
- Basket for collecting the letters.
Figure out the set-up. Figure out where you can set up in the room assigned. You will need tables and chairs in order for people to take a few minutes to write a personal letter. Will you need a banner or sign to get people’s attention?
Recruit a few volunteers. Ask a few people to help on the day you hold the phone bank and letter-writing party. Make sure the volunteers write their own letters, first, so that they feel comfortable assisting others. The volunteers can also recruit people to stop by the table.
Plan ways to make it fun. Is there a way to make the process extra fun? Could you set up computer stations with printers and have young people assist in typing up letters as people dictate them? Could you give out treats to those who write a letter?
Take pictures. Be sure to take pictures of people making calls/writing letters for promotion in your organization’s communication vehicles, and send a copy to . Your picture might encourage others!
Make the calls.Follow the script when you are talking with the delegate or staff member. Add in personal stories and really let them know why this is important to you. Have everyone take turns when calling the office number.
Mail the letters. Mail the letters. Don’t rely on others to mail them. Some advocates like to mail one or two at a time and have them received over a period of a few weeks.
Evaluate. Ask the volunteers to evaluate what worked and what didn’t. Did you reach your goals? If not, what could have been done differently next time?
Review the responses. What do the Delegates and Senators say in response to your letters/calls? Feel free to respond to them by mail or by setting up a follow-up meeting to discuss issues raised. VICPP has several healthcare experts who can prep a group for meeting with a Delegate or Senator about Healthcare expansion.
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, 1716 E. Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23223 804-643-2474