Bzzzkill 2013 Toolkit
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Call to action from Chrystal Ramsey-Dyess, JCI USA National President 3 Nothing But Nets and JCI: Bzzzkill 2013 4 Nothing But Nets 101 5 Malaria 101 6 A Bed Net’s journey 7 Bzzztour: Summer 2013 8 How to get involved! 9 Advocacy 11
How to engage your members of congress 12
What to say 13
U.S. malaria prevention programs 14
Fundraising 15
How to send nets and save lives 15
Spread the bzzz 18
Talking points 18
Social media engagement 19
Media outreach 20
Appendix 22
Nothing But Nets one pager 23
How to call your representatives 24
Nothing But Nets advocacy card 26
How to write a letter to congress 28
Letter to congress template 29
How to schedule a meeting with a Member of Congress 31
Meeting with a Member of Congress 32
Event sign in sheet 34
Sample press release 35 2
Call to Action When I first heard the words “a child dies from malaria every 60 seconds”, my heart stopped for a brief second. I could not imagine one day without my 9 year old son in my life. I cannot imagine the pain of a parent who has lost a child and I knew if there was something I could do to help I must. Malaria is a disease that we have the ability to fight can eradicate in our lifetimes. Bed nets are an easy, affordable solution. All it takes is $10 to sends a net and saves a life. We have the ability to take all our training as young active citizens and reach out to government officials to discuss how important it is to continue funding life-saving malaria prevention programs like PMI and The Global Fund and why they should join the Congressional Caucus on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases. We have chapters hosting in-district meetings and phone trees to train supporters on advocacy efforts. We have chapters who are running Town Hall Meetings and Community Forums to raise awareness. Chapters who are hosting Duck Races; Wine Tastings; Rock, Paper, Scissor Tournaments; and so much more to raise funds. We even have our little ones like Madelyn Ahlquist selling bracelets and my son Aaron selling dog tags to help end this deadly disease. JCI is great at being creative and thinking outside of the box to share the message of United Nations Foundation’s, Nothing But Nets. In this toolkit you will find all the things you need to get started or continue working toward awareness, fundraising and advocacy for an amazing organization that is saving lives every day. I urge you to take all of these resources and put your “Passion into Action”. In Jaycees,
Chrystal Ramsay-Dyess National President JCI USA
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Nothing But Nets and JCI What is JCI Bzzzkill 2013? In 2008, JCI partnered with the United Nations Foundation and the Nothing But Nets campaign to contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. By partnering with Nothing But Nets, JCI members at the 2008 JCI Leadership Summit at the United Nations committed to ending malaria deaths as part of a larger global initiative. JCI members at the local, national and international levels are working together to craft projects to both raise awareness about malaria in their communities and fundraise for the purchase and distribution of insecticide-treated nets. Whether by hanging mosquito nets in a city center to attract attention, hosting fundraising events or speaking in schools, JCI members across the globe are committed to the fight against malaria. Now JCI USA is taking the campaign to a new level by bringing the fight against malaria to Capitol Hill. Through advocacy, fundraising, and awareness-raising, U.S. Jaycees are working together to end malaria in our generation.
How do we save lives? 1 Advocacy-Mobilize U.S. Jaycees and citizens across America to encourage U.S. Members of Congress to support and robustly fund malaria prevention programs world-wide! 2 Fundraising-By donating just $10 per member, U.S. Jaycees can raise $200,000 by the end of 2013! 3 Awareness-Raise awareness among Jaycees and across the U.S. about what we can do to end malaria deaths!
Why is it important? Malaria, a disease transmitted by a simple mosquito bite, kills a child every 60 seconds. But one simple thing- an insecticide-treated bed net- can save lives. Each net will protect a family for several years. It only costs $10 to send a net and save life. By raising funds and awareness and asking the U.S. Government to support malaria prevention world-wide, we can end malaria deaths and work towards eradication in this generation!
When is it happening? Kicking off with the BzzzTour, JCI USA and Nothing But Nets will engage young active citizens to use their voices, raise funds, and spread the buzz through the end of 2013 and beyond. You can join the movement to end malaria today!
Together, with Nothing But Nets, we will ignite discussion, raise awareness, rally our communities and chapters, and help drive positive action in the fight against malaria so that we can eliminate the disease in our lifetime.
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Nothing But Nets 101 Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to raise awareness and funding to fight malaria, a leading cause of death among children in Africa. Nothing But Nets provides everyone – students to CEOs, bishops to basketball players – the opportunity to join the fight against malaria by giving $10 to send a net and save a life. Thanks to the generosity of supporters and partners, Nothing But Nets has distributed over 7 million lifesaving bed nets! While the UN Foundation has been working with the UN to fight malaria for years, it was Rick Reilly’s column (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/rick_reilly/04/25/reilly0501/index.html) about malaria in Sports Illustrated challenging each of his readers to donate at least $10 to send anti-malaria bed nets, that led to the creation of the Nothing But Nets campaign in 2006. Over the years, Nothing But Nets campaign has engaged hundreds of thousands of individuals to help achieve the Millennium Development Goal to end malaria deaths by 2015. We work with a diverse group of partners (www.nothingbutnets.net/partners/), including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Junior Chamber International, National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares, The People of The United Methodist Church, Major League Soccer’s MLS WORKS, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Union for Reform Judaism, among others.
The success of Nothing But Nets is a testament to the power of passionate people coming together to make the world a better, healthier place. You can protect a family. Your church, school, or sports team can protect a community. Together, we can cover Africa with life-saving bed nets. How it Works Nothing But Nets is powered by your passion; it works because you do! Grab your family, friends, and classmates and work together to spread the word, raise funds, and share stories. As a constituent, you can use your voice (https://secure.globalproblems-globalsolutions.org/site/ Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=343) and actions to bring the Nothing But Nets message to new audiences, including decision-makers on Capitol Hill so that we can make an even bigger impact in the fight against malaria. Your $10 contribution (www.nothingbutnets.net/donate) goes towards the cost of purchasing a long-lasting, insecticide-treated bed net, distributing it, and educating communities on its use. Nothing But Nets works with UN partners like UNICEF, the UN Refugee Agency, and the World Health Organization to purchase nets, transport them to Africa, and distribute them to families. Net distributions are typically part of a wider public health effort within a country coordinated by the Ministry of Health, the UN and other local and international organizations.
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More than
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Malaria 101 Malaria is a disease caused by the blood parasite Plasmodium, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. Malaria, from the Medieval Italian words mala aria or “bad air,” causes 200 million illnesses per year and kills more than 600,000 people -- mostly children under the age of five. Malaria is particularly devastating in Africa, where it is a leading killer of children. In fact, there are 10 new cases of malaria every second. Every 60 seconds, a child in Africa dies from a malaria infection. Forty percent of the world’s population lives in malaria endemic countries, and its treatment consumes nearly 40 percent of these countries’ public health resources. In addition to the burden on local healthcare systems, malaria illness and death costs Africa approximately $12 billion per year in lost productivity.
The effects permeate almost every sector. Malaria: Increases school absenteeism Decreases tourism
Reduces economic productivity Affects crop production
Malaria is Both Preventable and Treatable While malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases on the African continent, infections can be prevented either by spraying insecticides indoors or by sleeping under long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. Additionally, anti-malarial drugs, such as artemisinin combination therapies (if used early enough) can be used to treat malaria once it is contracted.
Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Bed Nets Bed nets work by creating a protective barrier against deadly-malaria carrying mosquitoes that bite at night. A family can sleep under an insecticide-treated bed net, safe from malaria, for three years. The benefits of bed nets extend even further than protecting those sleeping underneath them. The insecticide woven into each net makes entire communities safer – killing and repelling mosquitoes so that they can’t go on to bite others who may not be protected by a net. Bed nets can reduce malaria transmissions by up to 90 percent in areas with high coverage rates. Although $10 for a bed net may not sound like much, the cost makes them out of reach for most people at risk of malaria, many of whom survive on less than $1.50 a day. According to the 2011 World Malaria Report, 96% of people with access to a bed net, use it. Nets are a simple, life-saving solution, but we need your help to provide them to those in need. Join us now. Send a net and save a life. (www.nothingbutnets.net/donate)
Malaria rates have plummeted by more than 1/3 in the past decade 6
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BzzzTour: Summer 2013 President Chrystal and the First Family are taking Nothing But Nets across the country to engage U.S. Jaycees to send nets and save lives! Kicking off in Minnesota on June 10th, President Chrystal will Spread the BZZZ all the way down to Florida by August 15th. In just 51 days, Nothing But Nets and the U.S. Jaycees will: Visit 85 Chapters Educate and Engage 100,000 citizens Raise $100,000 Visit 55 Members of Congress Deliver 100,000 Advocacy cards to Capitol Hill JCI BzzzTour itinerary Minnesota June 11 - 15
West Virginia July 16
North Carolina August 2 - 4
Wisconsin June 17 - 25
Pennsylvania July 17 - 20
South Carolina August 5 - 8
Illinois June 26 - 30
New Jersey July 21 - 23
Georgia August 9 - 10
Indiana July 1 - 2, 4
New York July 24 - 27
Florida August 11 – 12
Michigan July 3, 6 - 9
Delaware July 28 - 29
Ohio July 11 - 15
Washington, DC Maryland Virginia July 30 - August 1
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Get Involved in Bzzzkill 2013! How can you help to eliminate malaria? USE YOUR VOICE!
Write a letter, make a phone call, or even use social media to share why you are a Champion in the fight against malaria with your Members of Congress.
VISIT YOUR U.S. SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE
As a chapter, visit the in-district office of your U.S. Senator or Representative to encourage them to support the President’s Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria and ask them to join the Malaria Caucus.
DONATE $10
Raising $10 for each member of your Jaycee chapter will ensure we reach our $200,000 goal.
HOST A LOCAL CHAPTER OR COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER Get your entire chapter or community involved in the fight against malaria.
SPREAD THE BZZZ!
Raise awareness and share what you’re doing to send nets and save lives across social media. Share a tweet, post a video, write a blog… the sky’s the limit!
GET YOUR FRIENDS INVOLVED
Make your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors—anyone and everyone—aware of how important their voice and their actions are in the fight against malaria. Get them involved in fundraising, advocacy, and awareness-raising too!
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The world-wide JCI community has made great progress in the fight against malaria. Over $1.8 million has been raised by JCI members since 2008 to purchase and distribute over 180,000 lifesaving bed nets in Africa! This year, JCI has pledged to raise $200,000 for Nothing But Nets. Bzzzkill 2013 is designed to ignite Jaycees and citizens across the country to become advocates in the fight against malaria and to send nets and save lives!
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Advocacy! The U.S. Government plays a critical leadership role in preventing malaria. We need to let our elected officials in U.S. Congress know that we support this work and encourage them to robustly fund lifesaving programs like the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). With strong U.S. leadership and funding, we can end malaria deaths and work towards malaria eradication. Jaycees believe that in order to create lasting positive change, we must improve ourselves and the world around us. By participating in advocacy, you are joining a movement of Champions around the United States who are working to improve the world and who support American efforts to save lives. As constituents, leaders, and advocates we have the power to educate and urge our Members of Congress to do their part in this fight.
Why is it important? Great progress has been made in the fight against malaria. Thanks to the generosity of supporters and partners like JCI, Nothing But Nets has distributed over 7 million lifesaving bed nets since 2006! But if we want to end malaria in our generation, we can’t do it alone. In order to sustain the gains we have made and continue to make progress in the fight against malaria, we need the critical support from United States government. Two of the most important partners in the fight against malaria are the President’s Malaria Initiative and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We need to let our elected official know that we want them to support these important programs and fight for robust funding.
President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) Established in 2005 by President George W. Bush, the President’s Malaria Initiative supports proven prevention and treatment methods and has distributed more than 62 million insecticide-treated bed nets. You can read more about PMI at www.pmi.gov.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has distributed more than 200 million insecticide-treated nets to protect families from malaria. It plays a critical role in raising money from world governments, the private sector and and non-govermental organizations to stop the spread of HIC/AIDS, TB and Malaria. You can read more about the Global Fund at www.theglobalfund.org/en.
More than
90%
deaths caused by malaria are children under 5
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How to Engage Members of Congress There are many ways to engage your Member of Congress and urge them to support the fight against malaria. Listed below are various ways in which you can engage your Senators and Representatives. You can find more information on each tactic in the Appendix. Call Calling your Congressional office is an effective and quick way to ensure that your Members of Congress learn what issues matter to you. The offices have staff dedicated to answering constituent phone calls, letters and emails. You can reach your Members of Congress’ by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: (202) 224-3121.
Fill out an advocacy card Advocacy cards are a great way to send a message to your Member of Congress about how important the fight against malaria is to you. Make sure you fill it out completely and return it to JCI or Nothing But Nets so we can send it to Capitol Hill! Have your friend fill one out too! Print the advocacy card in the appendix and send it to Nothing But Nets at 1800 Massachusetts Ave NW. Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036. We’ll make sure it gets to your Members of Congress.
Write a letter to your Member of Congress Write a personal letter to your Member of Congress. Specify that you are a constituent and tell them why you feel that they should show continued United States leadership and support for malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment by fully funding of the President’s Malaria Initiative, and the Global Fund. You can also ask them to join the Malaria Caucus, which plays a valuable role in educating Members of Congress about the importance of anti-malaria programs.
Schedule a meeting Scheduling a meeting with your Representative is easier than you think! House.gov and Senate.gov are great resources for finding the contact information of your two U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representative. Simply send an email or call your Representative’s office and request a meeting in their district office.
Invite your Member of Congress to an event Inviting your Member of Congress to an event is easy and important! They want to know what is going on in their district so when you have an event coming up email or call your Representative’s office with details of the event. Again, if the Member of Congress cannot make it, ask if they can send a staff person as a representative of the office. That will help you build a relationship with the office and will get your message back to the Member of Congress. Visit House.gov and Senate.gov to get contact information for Congressional offices. 12
What to Say Top 3 statements that resonate most: Every 60 seconds a child in Africa dies from malaria. Malaria is easily prevented through the use of a simple bed net. Investments in the President’s Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund Show proven results.
Tell them why you are writing Specify that you are a constituent and tell the member why you feel strongly about the importance of U.S. leadership on the issue of ending malaria deaths.
Share your story Is there something that compelled you to be involved in the fight against malaria? Is there a special experience or event that has struck home for you? Sharing your own story of how you came to be involved is one of the most effective ways to get your point across. Don’t forget to tell them that you’re a Jaycee.
Make the “ask” Whenever you contact a Member of Congress it is vitally important that you tell them what you want them to do. The best “asks” to make are: Continued United States leadership and support for malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment by fully funding of the President’s Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund and joining the Congressional Malaria Caucus. The next page will provide a detailed summary of what to request from your member. You can use any of the information from this page to support your advocacy action.
YOU are a constituent and they want to hear from YOU! Don’t be afraid to tell them that it’s important that they be a leader in the fight against malaria. But Remember: your Members of Congress have a difficult job—every day they hear about the things they are doing wrong. Ending malaria deaths is a true bipartisan issue and an opportunity for them to make positive change in the world. It is important to thank them for their support of PMI and the Global Fund.
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There are more than 200 million cases of malaria each year, killing over 600,000 people—mostly children under the age of five. This means that a child dies of malaria every 60 seconds. Malaria is preventable and treatable; lives do not have to be lost to this disease. Insecticide-‐treated bed nets are one of the most cost-‐effective tools to prevent the spread of malaria. When used properly, bed nets can prevent malaria transmission by up to 90 percent. Due in large part to U.S. leadership, significant progress has been made in the fight to end malaria and the U.S. must sustain these gains. Decreases in funding for malaria prevention and control create the risk of disease resurgence and increases in mortality. With additional efforts, strategic partnerships and continued U.S. leadership, we can end malaria deaths. Program/Activity
FY 2011
FY 2012
FY 2013
FY 2014
Actual
Actual
Estimated
President’s Request
President's Malaria Initiative Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria
$619M
$650M
$626M
$670M
$1.05B
$1.30B
$1.23B
$1.65B
The U.S. Government’s Response to Malaria Enacted in 2005 by President George W. Bush, the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) works to reduce malaria deaths by 50 percent in 15 African “focus countries.” PMI works in coordination with other national and international partners, including, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), UNICEF, and non-‐governmental organizations to expand access to highly effective malaria prevention and treatment tools. Over the last seven years, the U.S. has provided nearly one-‐third of all contributions to the Global Fund. Congress mandates U.S. contributions to the Global Fund not exceed 33 percent of total contributions, meaning that each $1 the U.S. contributes automatically leverages $2 from other donors to the Global Fund, providing significant return on investment for every U.S. dollar contributed to the Global Fund. U.S. bilateral and multilateral efforts to combat malaria amplify each other. It is critical that the U.S. provide robust funding for both the Global Fund and PMI to sustain progress toward eradicating malaria. Making Progress Due to efforts led by the U.S., significant progress has been made in the fight to end malaria deaths. Some of the most notable achievements include: • • •
Together, PMI and the Global fund distributed approximately 300 million bed nets between 2004 and 2012. Enough bed nets have been delivered to cover 76 percent of the people at risk of malaria. In less than three years, 11 African countries have cut malaria rates in half; three of which are PMI focus countries. As of FY2012, PMI has helped train more than 39,000 health workers on malaria case management. In addition, 28,000 health workers were trained in malaria laboratory diagnosis and 27,000 were trained in the prevention and treatment of malaria in pregnant women. This progress is a necessary building block that eventually allows for countries to manage their own response to malaria, without dependence on foreign aid.
1800 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202.887.9040 Fax: 202.887.9021 www.NothingButNets.net
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Fundraising:
How to Send Nets and Save Lives It only costs $10 to send a net and save a life. In other words, for the price of a movie ticket, you can keep an entire family safe from malaria! Not sure where to start? Here are a few tips and ideas. Set a goal: you + your chapter members x $10 = NETS! Multiply the number of members on your chapter roster by $10 and agree as a chapter to raise that amount of money for Nothing But Nets.
Create a CROWDRISE page All JCI Nothing But Nets donation go through Crowdrise. Visit www.crowdrise.com/jciusanbn to donate directly via the JCI USA national organization or create your own chapter-specific fundraising page. Crowdrise is simple and easy—anyone with an internet connection can donate directly via your fundraising page!
Host a fundraiser Use your own NETworks as a starting place. Know someone who owns or works at a restaurant? They can donate space or food for a dinner event. Have a lot of athletes in your area? Try a basketball shoot-out or 3x3 soccer tournament and have people donate to participate. JCI members also have a lot of resources and talents at their fingertips, so be sure to ask about possible items or services for an auction or raffle.
Get creative There is no one-size-fits-all answer to fundraising, so do what works best for you. If you are into fashion, host a fashion show. If you like cooking, have people over for dinner and ask for support. Your fundraiser can be as big or as small as you want. Get the kids involved. Young people are full of energy and can come up with some great ideas for fundraising. Bed nets also make a great, tangible object for classroom fundraisers, so you can get an entire school involved.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! The best way to get someone to donate is to ask. The same goes for volunteers, materials, and any other assistance you may need. The worst someone will say is “no” and anything else is a success! 15
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Get Inspired! Here are some ideas that Jaycees have used for fundraisers in the past Host a Run/Walk Jaycees in Brainerd, MN incorporated Nothing But Nets into their annual health expo and 5K run/walk and raised more than $7,000 for bed nets. There are events all around the country and they can all be used as a platform for getting your friends and family involved.
Sell an Item JCI members in North Miami sold specially-branded teddy bears at their events and raised nearly $1,000. Items can be sold for limited time sales, or around special occasions. Or you can set aside a certain percentage of sales and designate those as donations. Daughter of PP Travis created and sold MDG-inspired bracelet for $20, raising $1,700 and becoming the top fundraiser world-wide for JCI in 2012. President’s Chrystal’s son started a fundraising campaign selling Nothing But Nets and JCI-themed dog tags.
Donate Your Birthday Each year, Jaycees around the world “donate” their birthdays, collecting donations instead of gifts. Your CrowdRise page is a great tool for this, as you can collect donations online and in person, so you can reach people far and wide.
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Spread the BZZZ If we want to make lasting positive change and continue to make great progress in the fight against malaria, we have to get our friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, communities, and schools involved too! Sharing what you are doing to fight this deadly disease will inspire others to join the movement to end malaria. Tips: Use social media, emails, letters, newsletters, community forums, fliers, or anything else you can think of to share photos and stories of your fundraisers, events, and other actions you’re taking to end malaria. Create ways for others to get involved too! Make sure you make it easy for them to join in the fight against malaria by offering ways to sign up (www.nothingbutnets.net), donate to your Crowdrise page (www.crowdrise.com/jciusanbn), or send an advocacy card.
Nothing But Nets Talking Points You can use these easy to remember talking points: Malaria kills. Every 60 seconds a child dies from malaria. No child should die from a preventable disease. Bed nets save lives. It’s easy to help. Just $10 can send a net and save a life. There are more than 200 million cases of malaria each year, and more than 600,000 of those infected die from the disease, mostly in Africa. The disease, which is spread by a single mosquito bite, is preventable and treatable. Children under five are at greatest risk—accounting for more than 90 percent of deaths from malaria. The World Health Organization reports that half of all families in sub-Saharan Africa have at least one bed net, and malaria rates have plummeted by more than a third in the past decade. Bed nets can reduce malaria transmissions by 90 percent in areas with high coverage rates. Bed nets create a physical barrier that stops mosquitoes from biting at night and spreading malaria, and kills the insects when they land, preventing them from infecting the next victim.
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Social Media Engagement Social media is a great way to Spread The BZZZ about malaria. Here are some examples of how YOU can Spread the BZZZ:
Children under 5 account for 90% of deaths from #malaria. That’s unacceptable! I’m helping @nothingbutnets bite back! #NBNbzzztour So proud to be working with @nothingbutnets to fight #malaria! You can join us! #NBNbzzztour #Malaria kills. Nets save lives. Help me and @nothingbutnets #spreadthebuzz about this deadly disease! #NBNbzzztour Every 60 seconds a child dies from #malaria but I’m helping @nothingbutnets save lives this summer on the #NBNbzzztour! We’re in (city) to #spreadthebuzz about #malaria and help save lives from this deadly disease! Join us! #NBNbzzztour! We’re on our way to (city) to #spreadthebuzz about #malaria! See you there! #NBNbzzztour! Thanks for helping us fight #malaria (city)! Keep spreading the buzz! Next stop: (city) #NBNbzzztour!
Relevant Hashtags: #NBNbzzztour
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#malaria
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#spreadthebuzz
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#endmalaria
Malaria kills. Nets save lives. This summer we are helping @NothingButNets spread the buzz about this deadly disease during our cross country BzzzTour! Anyone can be a Champion in the fight to end malaria. This summer, we are visiting cities across the country on our BzzzTour to spread the buzz about how easy it is to save lives from this disease. Join us! The U.S. Jaycees and @NothingButNets BzzzTour is coming soon to a city near you. Join us and help us spread the buzz about malaria. We just did (activity/event) in (city). Next stop on our summer BzzzTour: (city). We hope to see you there! Together we are making a difference in the fight to end malaria. 19
Media Outreach You can also use local media to Spread the BZZZ. Here are some tips on getting your local media to help you in the fight against malaria:
Reach Out to Local Media: Writing a Letter to the Editor Reaching out to local media is a great way to get your voice heard. You can write a letter to the editor (for a larger audience) or an op-ed (for greater context and encouragement). Don’t know who to send it to or how? LET US HELP. Write your letters and send it to info@nothingbutnets.net. We’ll make sure it goes to the right people! To write an effective letter to the editor about the Nothing But Nets campaign and the fight against malaria, keep these tips in mind: Be brief and stick to one key message. If responding to a recent news article, previous letter, editorial or new events, reference it by a date and headline. Follow with a background sentence or two. Use a fact or figure to back up your position if possible. For relevant facts about malaria, visit the Nothing But Nets website. Respect the position of the issue’s opponents. Include your name, address, email and phone number. Newspapers and magazine have specific policies for submissions. Please review these requirements before submitting to ensure the best chance for publication. If your letter is published, please let us know via social media or email. This is a huge accomplishment that we will want to celebrate and share!
To view sample letters to the editor, see the Appendix Reach Out to Local Media: Promote Nothing But Nets Events Nothing But Nets is not a single person or event. It’s a network of grassroots supporters – both in your community and across the country joining forces to fight malaria. Sharing news of what your community is doing to support Nothing But Nets is a great way to encourage more people to get involved.
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Media Outreach Writing a press release for an event Once your Nothing But Nets event is planned, let people know about it! Local reporters are interested in issues important to their communities. Check the website of your local paper, radio station or television network to see which reporter may be the best contact for your release, or who compiles the community events calendar. This may be a health reporter who covers global health, a feature reporter who covers human interest and community affairs, or an editorial writer engaged on all issues. When writing a release, highlight the “who, what, when, where, and why”. Reporters want to know the event “basics” up front. Include details about: Event host and attendees Topic and purpose (why it’s important) Location and RSVP information Date and time Newspapers and magazine have specific policies for submissions. Please review these requirements before submitting to ensure the best chance for publication. If your letter is published, please let us know via social media or email. This is a huge accomplishment that we will want to celebrate and share!
It’s also smart to “grab them” with a concise, direct first sentence. Releases should be no more than one page. Include key Nothing But Nets facts to emphasize the importance of the cause. (visit www.NothingButNet.net/learn to find facts!) Here are some helpful tips for media outreach: Issue a media alert and/or press release at least 1-2 weeks before your event. Send out your alert/release to select reporters covering global health or local journalists that may be interested. Provide contact information for reporters to follow-up for more information. Follow-up with reporters as the day of the event approaches by phone. Monitor media interest – compile a list of reporters who express interest in covering the report. Make note of any interview requests that they may have. Designate one contact that media can reach out to on the day of the event. After the event it is important to find and track any print or online articles published by reporters that attended the event.
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APPENDIX
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info@nothingbutnets.net | 202.887.9040
The UN Foundation’s
Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots
About Malaria
Every 60 seconds a child dies from malaria—a disease spread by a single mosquito bite. • There are more than 200 million cases of malaria each year, and more than 600,000 of those infected die from the disease, mostly in Africa. • Children under five are at greatest risk—accounting for more than 90 percent of deaths from malaria. • The World Health Organization reports that half of all families in subSaharan Africa have at least one bed net, and malaria rates have plummeted by more than a third in the past decade.
campaign to save lives by preventing malaria.
About Bed Nets
96 percent of people with access to a bed net use it. • Bed nets can reduce malaria transmissions by 90 percent in areas with high coverage rates. • Bed nets work in two ways: 1) they stop mosquitoes from biting at night and spreading the disease, and 2) the insecticide on the net kills the mosquitoes when they land, preventing them from flying on to find their next victim.
About Nothing But Nets
It’s easy to help. $10 can send a life-saving bed net to protect a family in Africa. • Malaria rates are dropping across Africa because of the hundreds of thousands of supporters who have joined the movement to end malaria —if we keep up this momentum we can end malaria in this generation. • Nothing But Nets and its supporters—from students to CEOs—have raised more than $45 million to distribute more than 7 million nets through UN partners. • Since the UN Foundation created Nothing But Nets in 2006, supporters and partners around the world have joined the movement to end malaria, including the National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares, Disney’s The Lion King, WWE, The people of The United Methodist Church, Boy Scouts of America, American Idol, Junior Chamber International, ExxonMobil, Major League Soccer’s MLS W.O.R.K.S., Union For Reform Judaism, Usher’s New Look Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Malaria kills. Nets save lives. Send a net. Save a life. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to donate and learn more.
Photo credits: (left to right) -Vestergaard -UN Foundation
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How to Call Your Member of Congress It only costs $10 to send a net and save a life. In other
Calling your Congressional office is an effective and quick way to ensure that your representatives learn what issues matter to you. The offices have staff dedicated to answering constituent phone calls, letters and emails.
Why are you calling? It’s important for you to vocalize your support for ending malaria deaths. The purpose of the call is to tell your representative that you are passionate about preventing the spread of malaria by sending life-saving bed nets to sub-Saharan Africa. It’s also important that you, as a constituent, voice your support for these issues to your representatives in Washington, so that they feel supported in their decisions to aid malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment efforts.
When you call: As a constituent, I would like to support malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment efforts and advocate for full funding of the Presidents Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund. Help your Member of Congress understand why you are passionate about the issue. Ask them if they are a member of the Malaria Caucus, thank them if they are. If they are not, urge them to join. For a recommended outline of key advocacy talking points you can use when calling Congressional offices, go to www.nothingbutnets.net/learn/what-is-malaria.
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How to Call Your Representatives in Washington 1 Call the Capitol Hill main line: 202-224-3121 2 Ask to be connected to your Senator’s or Representative’s office. 3 The front office will answer the phone. Tell the staff member who answers the phone that you have an opinion on global health and foreign aid that you would like to share with the Member of Congress and ask if you can leave that opinion with the staffer. 4 Deliver your talking points: Every 60 seconds, a child dies of malaria. Malaria costs Africa $12 billion per year in lost productivity Insecticide treated bed nets can reduce the transmission of malaria by 90%. As a constituent, I would like my Member of Congress to support for malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment by fully funding of the President’s Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund and joining the bipartisan Congressional Malaria Caucus. (For more talking points, visit www.nothingbutnets.net/learn/what-is-malaria) 5 Ask if he or she requires any follow-up information. 6 You may also ask if the member has a current stance on preventing malaria, global health or foreign aid. 7 Thank the staffer for his or her time.
JCI Secretary General Edson Kodama and his family at Senator McCaskill’s office
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Every 60 seconds malaria kills one child in Africa. Bed nets prevent the spread of this deadly disease.
U.S. leadership is critical in the fight against malaria.
Every 60 seconds malaria kills one child in Africa. Bed nets prevent the spread of this deadly disease.
U.S. leadership is critical in the fight against malaria.
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Dear Member of Congress, Ending malaria deaths is important to me. Please support $670 million for the President's Malaria Initiative and $1.65 billion for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. With continued leadership from Congress, we can end malaria. I am a champion in the fight against malaria because:
FIRST NAME
ADDRESS
*Required field
LAST NAME
*Required field
*Required field
STATE
CITY
EMAIL ADDRESS
ZIP CODE
*Required field
*Required field
Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to raise awareness and funding to fight malaria, a leading cause of death among children in Africa.
Dear Member of Congress, Ending malaria deaths is important to me. Please support $670 million for the President's Malaria Initiative and $1.65 billion for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. With continued leadership from Congress, we can end malaria. I am a champion in the fight against malaria because:
FIRST NAME
ADDRESS
*Required field
LAST NAME
*Required field
*Required field
STATE
CITY
EMAIL ADDRESS
ZIP CODE
*Required field
*Required field
Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to raise awareness and funding to fight malaria, a leading cause of death among children in Africa.
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How to Write to a Member of Congress Tell them why you are writing Specify that you are a constituent and tell the member how you feel.
Make the “ask”: Continued United States leadership and support for malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment by fully funding of the President’s Malaria Initiative, and the Global Fund. Depending on the time of year, Nothing But Nets will provide you with the specific funding request.
State who you are. List your “credentials” (name, address, occupation if you’d like), state that you are a Jaycee, and you support Nothing But Nets and briefly explain the campaign using the talking points provided in this activity guide. (If you want a response, you must include your name and address, even when using email.)
Personalize your message. ending a personalized letter will generate more attention from the office than an impersonal form S letter. Be creative and personal to show the importance of the issue. Explain exactly why you care about supporting malaria prevention and why you believe they should care, too. Members of Congress want to hear your stories, not just facts and figures.
Close by restating the “ask”. The best letters are personalized, courteous, to the point, and include specific supporting examples. Your letter should be a maximum of one page. The more concise, the better. There are so many important things to say, but letters that are too long risk not being read in full.
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Letter to Congress Template 1 FIRST PARAGRAPH: “Introductions” Introduce yourself • Your name • City where you live (they may follow up with you for a full address) • Personal information that you would like to share e.g. something about your role as a Jaycee, school, or occupation • Don’t forget to tell them that you are a Nothing But Nets and Junior Chamber International supporter
Tell him/her why you are writing • Tell him/her what you care about and why you have decided to write them a letter. Include some of the malaria facts that you have learned at www.nothingbutnets.net/learn/what-is-malaria/ • Examples of why you might care: - Worried about children in other countries - Care about the health and safety of refugees in Africa - You don’t think it’s fair that there are millions of children around the world who should be scared of mosquito bites. • Examples of why you decided to write: - In a malaria workshop today you learned that your Representative/Senator also cares about this issue. You want to encourage your Representative/Senator to be a leader in saving lives in Africa.
2 SECOND PARAGRAPH: “The Ask” Let the Member of Congress know what kinds of things you would like him/her to do about malaria while he is in office: •
Support robust funding for the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and Global Fund. - Encourage him/her to have his/her colleagues support the funding as well.
• Join the Malaria Caucus. • Talk to Nothing But Nets about how we can work together to do more to prevent children from dying from malaria.
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Letter to Congress Template (Continuation) 3 THIRD (OR LAST) PARAGRAPH: “Closing” Thank the Member of Congress for being a champion in the fight against malaria • Thank them for leadership on the issue • Thank them for caring about protecting families from this preventable disease • Thank them for caring about what you care about
Ask him/her to write back to you (List your address!) • Explain that this is your first time writing to an elected official and you would love to hear back from him/her. • Tell him/her that you would love to hear why they care about preventing malaria.
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How to Schedule a Meeting with a Member of Congress Meeting with your representatives is your right as a citizen and also one of the best ways to educate them about the importance of sending insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria. Your voice as a constituent is critical, regardless of your representatives’ stance on the issue. Even if your Member of Congress has been critical of foreign aid in the past, YOU have the power to change their opinion. If your member has always been supportive of global health programs, then they need to hear and understand that their constituency (that’s you!) is behind them on this issue and that they should both continue their support and be vocal in favor of sending life-saving bed nets to combat malaria. The first step to holding a meeting is scheduling it. It’s important to reach out to your Congressional office several weeks ahead of your ideal date. Members of Congress have limited but dedicated time to meet with their constituents both in their district and in their Capitol Hill offices. Members of Congress have staff tightly managing their schedules, so contacting their scheduler is key. Each member’s website should have instructions for requesting meetings. You can also call an office directly and ask for the right person to email about meeting requests. Once you send your note, you should follow up within a few days with another email or a phone call. Ask for the Scheduler and if he or she is not available, ask to leave a voice mail. You may have to do this a few times, but persistence pays off!
If you reach the scheduler: Introduce yourself as a constituent and describe the email you sent, even if the scheduler hasn’t seen it. Mention that you are interested in meeting with your Member of Congress to talk about preventing the spread of malaria and try to schedule it while you have the person on the phone.
If you get voice mail: Leave a shortened version of the information in your email and provide your name and phone number. Speak clearly, and keep it brief. Be persistent (but always polite). It’s common to make several calls before successfully scheduling a meeting. Once you have scheduled your meeting, call a few days ahead to confirm it and ensure it’s still on the books.
If you need help finding an appropriate contact, email info@NothingButNets.net and our team can provide assistance.
If you need help finding an appropiate contact, email info@NothingButNets.net and our team can provide assitance
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Meeting with a Member of Congress Before the meeting: Do your research. Find out what issues are most important to your representatives. You can also find out what committees they sit on and what issue areas they care about most by visiting your Member of Congress’ page at www.congress.gov.
Try to find areas of common ground on issues or personal background. These are great ways to start a conversation and foster a genuine connection. Did you go attend the same school? Did you live in the same neighborhood? You can find this on their website, or contact the Nothing But Nets team to help you.
Be prepared. Write out your speech and remember that practice makes perfect! It’s common for visitors to congressional offices to read pre-prepared remarks directly from a piece of paper. Run through what you plan to say during the meeting, especially if you are meeting with a group of people. Think of any questions you may want to ask, and practice saying any specific points you’d like to make sure are delivered well. Remember, your representatives want to hear from you, and they will expect you to lead the meeting.
Aim to dress as professionally as possible. Most Congressional offices require staff to dress in business casual clothing, but each office sets its own dress code, so this may vary. It’s always better to be too formal than too casual and, by taking the time to look professional you will automatically give the impression that you care about this experience and the issue.
Arrive early. Because your congressional office’s schedule is very busy with many commitments, they may be running slightly ahead or behind. As long as you have made an appointment, someone will be available, but you might have to wait a little bit, even if you arrived early or on time.
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Meeting with a Member of Congress During the meeting: Introduce yourself and be clear about the purpose of your meeting. You are there to discuss the importance of ending malaria deaths with your Member of Congress and to share your passion for the issue, in hopes that he or she will help facilitate positive change and generate Congressional support for sending life-saving bed nets through providing funding for the President’s Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund.
Acknowledge the office. Start your meeting by thanking the office for taking the time to meet with you, and for something that you think they have done well. Don’t forget to thank them!
Concisely explain your issue and make the “ask.” Ask your Member of Congress to support ending malaria deaths via full funding for the President’s Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Be clear and concise on what action you would like them to take. Go to www.nothingbutnets.net/act for current information on what this “ask” should be.
Support your “ask.” Explain why you care about ending malaria deaths. Share any personal stories you might have, and describe why being a Jaycee and a Nothing But Nets supporter is important to you. Be creative and have fun! Congress is full of facts and figures, but you are there to share your passion.
Leave behind reference materials. Remember to leave your business card so that someone at the office can contact you with any follow-up questions. You can also provide handouts on Nothing But Nets, JCI/JCI USA, and PMI and the Global Fund.
After the meeting: Send a thank you note. Reiterate the issues discussed and any points you thought you made particularly well. Thank the Member or staffer for his or her time. Following up is important because it builds your relationship with the member and their staff, shows that you care and sends a reminder that you will be watching his or her performance on this issue.
Don’t forget to tell Nothing But Nets how it went! We want to hear how well you did. Share your stories with us! info@nothingbutnets.net
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FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
ZIP CODE
STATE
Join the Nothing But Nets campaign in the fight against malaria! Sign up to learn more about how you can send nets and save lives!
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The United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign and the United States Junior Chamber/JCI USA Launch a Multicity “BzzzTour” to raise awareness about the Movement to End Malaria JCI USA President Chrystal Ramsay-‐Dyess and others will kick off the bus tour starting Minnesota on June 10, 2013 visiting over 85 JCI chapters to share the message of JCI USA and Nothing But Nets [Insert City (Date)] – JCI USA, in partnership with the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign is set to kick-‐off a multicity “BzzzTour” on June 10 to encourage elected officials, JCI chapters, and communities throughout the U.S. to continue the fight against malaria globally. The tour will visit over 85 JCI chapters nationwide also making five major stops at Nothing But Nets events happening in Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York and Washington, DC. “JCI USA is setting out to raise funds, increase awareness, and encourage advocacy action to promote the work of the Nothing But Nets campaign to cover Africa with insecticide-‐treated bed nets to prevent malaria,” said President Chrystal Ramsay-‐Dyess, “ I am excited to meet with local officials and chapter leaders throughout the country to encourage people in the U.S. to take a stand against this deadly disease.” Nothing But Nets, a global, grassroots campaign to end malaria in Africa, has helped distribute more than 7 million long-‐lasting, insecticide-‐treated bed nets across Africa. With the help of JCI USA, covering Africa with bed nets will be a key step toward the global goal of ending malaria deaths and eliminating the disease. In just 51 days, Nothing But Nets and the US Jaycees will educate and engage citizens in the fight against this deadly disease. Track the “BzzzTour” at www.usjaycees.org and join us in the fight against malaria by reaching out to your Members of Congress, donating $10 to send a net and save a life, and spreading the message. BACKGROUND Every 60 seconds, a child dies from malaria -‐ which is easily prevented through the use of an insecticide-‐ treated bed net. The nets create a protective barrier against mosquitoes at night, when the vast majority of malaria transmissions occur, and are the most cost-‐effective method of preventing the spread of the disease. One bed net can protect a family for years. A net costs just $10 to purchase, deliver, and educate the recipient on its proper use. For more information, please visit www.NothingButNets.net. ### About JCI USA The United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees) is a membership association of 18-‐40 year olds dedicated to providing development opportunities and creating positive change in their communities and in themselves. Jaycees are found in over 120 countries around the world, numbering 200,000 strong in over 5000 chapters. To learn more about us please check us out at www.usjaycees.org. About Nothing But Nets Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. Inspired by sports columnist Rick Reilly, hundreds of thousands of people have joined the campaign that was created by the United Nations Foundation in 2006. Founding campaign partners include the National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares, The people of The United Methodist Church, and Sports Illustrated. It only costs $10 to provide an insecticide-‐treated bed net that can prevent this deadly disease. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to send a net and save a life. 35
Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to raise awareness and funding to fight malaria, a leading cause of death among children in Africa. Nothing But Nets provides everyone – students to CEOs, bishops to basketball players – the opportunity to join the fight against malaria by giving $10 to send a net and save a life. Thanks to the generosity of supporters and partners, Nothing But Nets has distributed over 7 million lifesaving bed nets!
Bzzzkill 2013 TOOLKIT
SEND A NET. SAVE A LIFE.
Visit www.NothingButNets.net to donate and learn more. Nothing But Nets
@NothingButNets
YouTube.com/NothingButNets 36