ONE: "Get to Work!"

From the ONE campaign...
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ONE members got President-elect Obama "On the Record" with historic commitments to fight global poverty and disease. Now, it's time to get to work turning those commitments into hope and dignity for millions struggling to survive around the globe.

Champions in Congress are writing to President-elect Obama to urge him to request a robust Fiscal Year 2010 International Affairs Budget. This bipartisan letter will be a critical first step in fully-funding the proven, effective and affordable solutions needed to save and improve the lives of those suffering from poverty and preventable diseases worldwide. We need you to call your Members of Congress now and urge them to add their names to this important letter:

Then, please report your call by clicking here

Obama's commitments may be impossible to keep unless his FY10 budget priorities put us on the right track now, because each year's goals get progressively harder to meet for every year we fall short. That's why we're teaming with the U.S. Global Leadership Campaign in asking Members of Congress to support President-elect Obama’s vision for fighting global poverty and set the stage for fulfilling all his promises to the world's poorest people. Please show them your support by calling now.

The next Administration and Congress face tough choices as fiscal constraints and mounting deficits impact always difficult budget decisions. The letter from Congress calling for a robust FY10 International Affairs Budget will send a strong message to the new Administration that doubling foreign assistance is in the best interests of the United States and the world, even in these difficult economic times.

Thank you for your voice,

Josh Peck, ONE.org

Ctrl.Alt.Shift

Here's an anti-poverty resource with a different flair than most that I stumble upon. Ctrl.Alt.Shift is more than a web site or a magazine. It's a new movement, designed and executed by young people for young people. It is a platform for 18-25 year olds to voice their beliefs and opinions. It allows them to demonstrate their talents, needs and ambitions in whatever medium suits them. Ctrl.Alt.Shift consists of a web community, events and stunts, and a quarterly magazine that aims to speak to young people and stimulate them to take action against global issues of poverty and injustice.

Get involved; join the fight, the protests and campaigns at www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk

As shows in their url, they seem to be based in the UK, so that also gives it a bit of a different feel from a lot of the US based orgs I know about. Here's a little release from them about what they are currently up to...
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VICE magazine and CTRL.ALT.SHIFT launch international all-star photographic project

VICE Magazine has collaborated with youth initiative Ctrl.Alt.Shift, to launch a unique photographic project that explores the global issues of Gender, Power and Poverty. The creative collaboration takes the form of an international competition, educating young people around the world on this major global development issue and inviting them to create photography
inspired by this theme. Participants will also get the chance to be mentored by a group of all-stars including UK TV presenter Alexa Chung, Vogue and GQ contributor Ben Rayner, Arena and i-D contributor Valerie Philips and Vice’s Andy Capper and Alex Sturrock. Competition winners will have their work featured in VICE and Ctrl.Alt.Shift magazines, displayed on CtrlAltShift.co.uk and exhibited in a major London gallery in 2009– alongside work from campaign ambassador, legendary New York photo artist Nan Goldin. The overall winner will receive £1000 plus a brand new digital SLR.

Paint Your Picture
Engage people, push the boundaries and provoke thought and action through your cutting edge photos surrounding the issues of gender, power and poverty. Final entries are on November 19 so GET SNAPPING!!

For more information on the competition, submit your entry, and to join the fight against issues of global development visit www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk/vice.

Holidays are a time to act locally

A reminder from the Greater Chicago Food Depository about the upcoming holiday season:

During the holiday season, the Food Depository is the beneficiary of more than 500 food drives, and we couldn't thank you enough for your support. But with demand at pantries steadily increasing—already up 30 percent compared to this time last year—and an economy in turmoil, never has your commitment to providing food for hungry people been more crucial than now.

Get involved by being a part of
One City, One Food Drive.

Stay on the lookout for these community food drives this holiday season:
» Dominick's & ABC 7's Holiday Food Drive (now through Jan. 3)
» Chicago Bulls food drive (plus reduced ticket prices)
» Boy Scouts food drive
» Turkey Trot

Check the event calendar often to see where the next community food drive is taking place.