Jessica Malow, Washington Representative

July 15, 2011

We need your help in the fight to save the   Foster Grandparent Program!   APPROPRIATIONS:   The House Labor-HHS-Education appropriations subcommittee is scheduled to mark-up their FY 2012 bill on July 26, 2012. If you have not been in touch with your Congressman/woman in the U.S. House of Representatives, we need you to make calls and send e-mails before July 26, 2012. As previously reported, earlier this year the House passed a Budget Resolution, which recommends "reform and considering eliminating" CNCS.   At this time, we only need your calls/e-mails to be directed to the Members of the House.  We will notify you when we need you to make calls to your Senators.

When making your calls: If you do not already have a staffer you work with regularly, ask to speak to the staffer who handles the Foster Grandparent Program/National Service Program issues.  Tell the staffer your name and the city where your program is located.  Explain that you are concerned that CNCS/FGP could be eliminated and clearly state that would mean the end of your program.  Talk about the number of volunteers who will have to end their service and the number of children who will no longer benefit from having a FGP volunteer work with them. Explain that FGP aids local communities at a time in our history when communities are in dire need of help by empowering low-income, senior volunteers to serve hundreds of children. State who your local sponsors are and stress the non-federal dollars that supplement FGP programs. Talk about how the FGP volunteers go into schools and work with the children who most need help learning. ASK that FGP not be cut or eliminated and explain how even modest cuts could destroy your programs.  After your conversation immediately follow-up with an e-mail that restates all of the points above.  Some other areas you can focus on in your follow-up e-mail are:  1) What work do your programs do with military families/military bases? This is a link that programs should highlight. 2) If your program has provided help in disaster relief efforts in the states impacted by the recent tornadoes definitely let your Members of Congress/congressional staff know about it. Attached below is a list of the Members of the House Labor-HHS-Education appropriations subcommittee and the Members of the House Appropriations Committee.  If one of the Members on these lists is your Member of Congress your calls are extremely important! 9/11 NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE -  Join NAFGPD on September 11, 2011, as a day of service by presenting your local firefighters or policemen with a gift basket.  NAFGPD is in support of Programs nationwide assembling gift baskets of their choice to show their appreciation for the hard work firefighters and policemen do for their communities. This is a project that can be as easy as making up a very simple basket filled with fruit, baked goods, toiletries etc. to take to your local fire station or as detailed as making blankets for the firefighters/policemen to give to people during an emergency. Please contact your NAFGPD cluster representative for more information.      CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK PROPOSED CHANGES - NAFGPD will be responding before August 5th deadline recommending clarification to be made concerning the proposed changes in the Federal Register , Sec. 2540.203(B) (f.) Consecutive terms.  It states that it is not necessary to redo checks if a break in service occurs of fewer than 30 days.   NAFGPD is recommending that the statement be identified with Americorps members.  FGP volunteers are allowed to have time off for health or assignment reasons for a period of time that may be longer than 30 days.  As long as the projects policies and procedures identify the process and the volunteer has not been terminated from the program, it is not necessary to redo the three part background checks.  If you support this recommendation, please respond according to the CNCS instructions during the comment period.       As always, thank you for being willing to support our efforts.  Your voices will make an even stronger case for the Foster Grandparent Program.  Thank you for all you do!   Warmest regards,   Sherry Black, NAFGPD President                                      Jessica Malow, Washington Representative   Member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Republicans: Denny Rehberg, Montana Jerry Lewis, California Rodney Alexander, Louisiana Jack Kingston, Georgia Kay Granger, Texas Michael K. Simpson, Idaho Jeff Flake, Arizona Cynthia M. Lummis, Wyoming Democrats: Rosa L. DeLauro, Connecticut Nita M. Lowey, New York Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Illinois Lucille Roybal-Allard, California Barbara Lee, California   House Appropriations Committee - Full Committee Members Republicans: Harold Rogers, Kentucky, Chairman C.W. Bill Young, Florida Jerry Lewis, California Frank R. Wolf, Virginia Jack Kingston, Georgia Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, New Jersey Tom Latham, Iowa Robert B. Aderholt, Alabama Jo Ann Emerson, Missouri Kay Granger, Texas Michael K. Simpson, Idaho John Abney Culberson, Texas Ander Crenshaw, Florida Denny Rehberg, Montana John R. Carter, Texas Rodney Alexander, Louisiana Ken Calvert, California Jo Bonner, Alabama Steven C. LaTourette, Ohio Tom Cole, Oklahoma Jeff Flake, Arizona Mario Diaz-Balart, Florida Charles W. Dent, Pennsylvania Steve Austria, Ohio Cynthia M. Lummis, Wyoming Tom Graves, Georgia Kevin Yoder, Kansas Steve Womack, Arkansas Alan Nunnelee, Mississippi Democrats: Norman D. Dicks, Washington Marcy Kaptur, Ohio Peter J. Visclosky, Indiana Nita M. Lowey, New York José E. Serrano, New York Rosa L. DeLauro, Connecticut James P. Moran, Virginia John W. Olver, Massachusetts Ed Pastor, Arizona David E. Price, North Carolina Maurice D. Hinchey, New York Lucille Roybal-Allard, California Sam Farr, California Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Illinois Chaka Fattah, Pennsylvania Steven R. Rothman, New Jersey Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., Georgia Barbara Lee, California Adam B. Schiff, California Michael M. Honda, California Betty McCollum, Minnesota