NGLTF just sent out a action alert to their membership asking them to call their senators/representatives and asking them to support funding for this nations homeless youth programs. I’m overjoyed to see NGLTF finally stepping up to the plate on this issue!
Call your U.S. Representative today to help fund programs for runaway and homeless LGBT youth!
TAKE ACTION: FOUR DAYS ONLY – CALL BY MARCH 12
FY 2008 Appropriations for Homeless Youth Programs
ACTION REQUESTED: The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Inc., urges you to support homeless youth TODAY.
CALL CONGRESS TODAY and ask your U.S. representative to sign the Grijalva-Biggert “Dear Colleague” appropriations sign-on letter (attached below) recommending increases in fiscal year 2008 for Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) and Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) programs.
Background
RHYA and the EHCY program are the only federal programs targeted solely to runaway and homeless children and youth –– and they help support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.
Did you know that LGBT youth are at greater risk for experiencing homelessness? The Task Force’s recent report LGBT youth: An epidemic of homelessness (click the link to download a copy) recently documented that between 20 and 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT –– even though it is estimated that only three to five percent of the United States population identifies as LGBT.
That means that nearly half a million RHYA programs provide critical outreach, shelter and transitional living resources to the nation’s unaccompanied youth. The EHCY program removes barriers to the enrollment, attendance and success of homeless children and youth in school.
Last month, President Bush submitted his new budget plan to Congress. The plan provided flat funding –– no change from last year or previous years –– for both RHYA ($103 million) and EHCY ($62 million). This is inadequate funding to meet the needs of our nation’s homeless children and youth.
Even important LGBT homeless youth programs that have been recognized as models –– such as the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit, Mich. –– may not receive grant funding because there simply is not enough money.
The members of Congress who determine how much money federal programs receive –– “appropriators” –– are currently gathering input from all members of Congress about their funding priorities. A popular way that members of Congress express support for particular federal programs is by circulating “Dear Colleague” appropriations sign-on letters asking their fellow members of Congress to join them in recommending a funding level for the program(s).
You can make a difference by calling your U.S. Representative TODAY! Act quickly, because we only have until March 12 to finalize the letter.
Representatives Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) (pronounced gree-HAL-va) and Judy Biggert (R-IL) have begun to circulate a “Dear Colleague” appropriations sign-on letter recommending $140 million in fiscal year 2008 for RHYA programs and $70 million in fiscal year 2008 for the EHCY program. THE LETTER CLOSES ON MARCH 12.
IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED: Please contact your U.S. representatives TODAY and ask them to add their names to the Grijalva-Biggert “Dear Colleague” appropriations sign-on letter on homeless children and youth programs. Talking points for your phone calls are provided below.
INSTRUCTIONS: To determine who your U.S. representative is and find his/her phone number, go to www.congress.org and type in your zip code. Click on the link to find the phone number for his/her Washington, D.C. office. Or you may call 202.225.3121 and ask the Congressional switchboard operator to transfer you to the office of your U.S. representative.
Tell the receptionist in your representative’s office that you are a constituent (i.e., you live in the district) and that you are calling about “runaway and homeless youth funding.”
Ask to speak to the appropriate staff person. If the staff person is unavailable, ask to leave them a voice mail message.
Be as BRIEF AS POSSIBLE, particularly when leaving messages. Staff have VERY limited time –– stick to the facts and the script. If your voice mail message is too long, you will be cut off.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO REPORT BACK: E-mail Becky Levin or Dave Noble at blevin@theTaskForce.org or dnoble@ theTaskForce.org or call 202.393.5177.
TALKING POINTS
* I am [NAME] and live in [LOCATION]. (If you work for an RHYA-funded organization or plan to seek RHYA funds, mention your organization.)
* I am calling to urge [REPRESENTATIVE] to join a “Dear Colleague” appropriations sign-on letter being circulated by Representatives Raul Grijalva (gree-HAL-va) and Judy Biggert that recommends $140 million in fiscal year 2008 for Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs and $70 million in fiscal 2008 for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program.
* I am concerned that more than 20% percent of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender even though it is estimated that only three to five percent of the U.S. population identifies as LGBT. These kids receive important services and help through these programs.
* The letter closes March 12, 2007.
* Please contact Alethea Scally in the office of Representative Grijalva to add the Representative to the letter.
If the staff member says that the Representative does not typically sign onto appropriations “Dear Colleague” letters, which is unusual:
* I understand. I hope the Representative will include a request for appropriations increases for Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs and the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program in [HIS/HER] own program letter to the Appropriations Committee.
Wrap up:
* Please let me know how the Representative responds to my request.
* I can be reached at [PHONE NUMBER AND E-MAIL ADDRESS].
* Thank you for relaying this request to the Representative.
If applicable :
* Thank you and your boss for your important leadership on LGBT issues.
Other information you may be asked:
* RHYA programs provide competitive grants to community-based, faith-based and public organizations to offer outreach, temporary housing and supportive services to homeless youth.
* The president’s fiscal year ’08 budget includes level funding for RHYA at $103 million.
* The EHCY program provides grants to local educational agencies to provide outreach and identification, enrollment assistance, transportation assistance, school records transfer, immunization referrals, tutoring, counseling, school supplies, assessment, professional development for educators, and referrals for community services targeted to homeless students.
* The president’s FY08 budget includes level funding for EHCY at $62 million.
If you are asked a question about either program that you are not comfortable answering, let the staff member know that someone at the Task Force will follow up. Then pass the question along to Becky Levin or Dave Noble by e-mailing blevin@theTaskForce.org or dnoble@ theTaskForce.org or calling 202.393.5177.
GRIJALVA/BIGGERT DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER
March 6, 2007
Dear Colleague,
We invite you to join us in sending a letter to the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to fund Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs (RHYA) in the Department of Health and Human Services at $140 million in FY08 and the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program in the Department of Education at $70 million in FY08. These recommended levels are $37 million above the FY07 enacted level and the FY08 President’s Request for RHYA and $8 million above the FY07 enacted level and the FY08 President’s Request for EHCY.
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs and the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program are the only two federal programs targeted to homeless children and youth. In each program there has been a consistent unmet need for services due to insufficient funding.
Since RHYA’s passage in 1974, there has been a consistent unmet need for services due to insufficient funding. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that in FY 2005, 2,655 youth seeking services from RHYA transitional living projects were turned away. In addition, 2, 081 youth were turned away from RHYA basic centers. These figures represent youth that have been directed to an RHYA service provider. The turnaway figures would be undoubtedly higher were countless other young people living on the streets of America also to request RHYA services. It is a tragedy that the most basic need of our nation’s unaccompanied children and youth –– a place to live –– is not being met due to inadequate resources.
It is imperative that we fund the RHYA and EHCY programs at levels that will more appropriately support community-based and faith-based organizations, public agencies, and school districts in their efforts to address child and youth homelessness in rural, suburban, and urban communities across the nation.
If you would like to sign onto the letter, please contact Alethea Scally with Rep. Grijalva, alethea.scally@mail.house.gov x52435 or Brian Petersen with Rep. Biggert, brian.petersen@mail.house.gov x53515 by March 12, 2007.
Sincerely,
Raúl M. Grijalva
Member of Congress
Sincerely,
Judy Biggert
Member of Congress
To see a copy of the actual letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee, click here.