RESULTS History of Success, 1985-1999One simple measure of RESULTS’ success is our effectiveness in educating our elected representatives and other community leaders about hunger and poverty — and their solutions. Raising public awareness and commitment to these issues is the heart of our work. In 1999, RESULTS global volunteers met with 84 Congressional representatives and 7 senators. They generated 94 editorials and held 11 press conferences. RESULTS domestic volunteers held 13 community education and action rallies, generated 27 editorials and met face-to-face with 64 Congressional representatives and 7 senators. Here is a small sampling of what these volunteers accomplished:
In 1998, RESULTS volunteers held face-to-face meetings with representatives and senators, and generated some 80 editorials, 30 op-ed pieces, 101 letters to the editor, and 70 news stories about legislation. Here are just a few examples of the difference that our volunteers and their work made:
In 1997, RESULTS Educational Fund convened the first global Microcredit Summit, launching a campaign to reach 100 million of the world’s poorest families, especially the women of those families, with credit for self-employment and other business and financial services by the year 2005. Over 2900 people from 137 countries attended.
In 1996, the Child Survival and Diseases Account, created in 1995, was extended to include basic education and increased to $600 million for fiscal year 1997. In 1995, RESULTS fought to preserve funding for children’s programs. Congress created a Child Survival and Diseases Account specifically to help children, earmarking $300 million for child survival — more than in any previous year. WIC funding for 1996 was increased by $260 million. In 1994, RESULTS and others fought USAID’s plan to slash child survival spending. $75 million of proposed cuts were restored, and language was added to legislation stressing that child survival programs, basic education, and micronutrient programs be funded at the recommended levels. In 1993, RESULTS worked successfully with other organizations to avert cuts in foreign aid programs that alleviate hunger and poverty. Rep. Tony P. Hall (D-OH) said, and has repeated on several occasions: “Pound for pound, RESULTS is the most effective lobby in Washington.” In 1992, RESULTS initiated a letter to World Bank President Lewis Preston, signed by nearly 1,400 members of Congress and Parliaments around the world, helped gain a commitment from the Bank to increase the share of its loans targeted to benefit the poor. In 1991, RESULTS and others asked Congress to keep the promises made at the 1990 World Summit for Children. Funding for international children’s programs was increased by $202 million. RESULTS sparked a congressional investigative report on poverty lending that spurred Congress to set aside $50 million over two years for loans under $300 to the poorest. In 1990, RESULTS organized Candlelight Vigils to publicize the World Summit for Children. More than 1 million people participated in over 500 U.S. locations and in 74 other countries. UNICEF Director James P. Grant said of the Vigils: “The Candlelight Vigils served as a catalyst, the trigger point, for the start of the unprecedented media [coverage].” In 1989, RESULTS worked to increase funding for UNICEF and other cost-effective anti-poverty programs. RESULTS’ work helped to secure funding in the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 for nonprofit organizations working to create low-income housing. In 1988, RESULTS lobbied for the Global Poverty Reduction Act, to channel more foreign aid to anti-poverty programs. Congress later passed a measure based on parts of the bill. Colman McCarthy of the Washington Post said: “There’s not a rich lobby in Washington that wouln’t trade its limos for the group’s achievements.” In 1987, RESULTS played a key role in setting aside $50 million of foreign aid for a program to provide small loans to the poorest of the poor. Volunteers produced over 100 editorials. Rep. Edward Feighan (D-OH) said: “RESULTS is the most effective lobby working in Washington today. . . . The Self-Sufficiency for the Poor Act would not be law today if it were not for RESULTS.” In 1986, Congress added $25 million to the Child Survival Fund after RESULTS volunteers generated 90 editorials — 30 within a month’s time. UNICEF Executive Director James P. Grant wrote and said: “I want to convey my heartfelt thanks for the unflagging and satisfyingly successful efforts of RESULTS on behalf of vulnerable children and mothers everywhere.” In 1985, RESULTS helped to resolve a squabble between the U.S. and OPEC that jeopardized the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and its work with small farmers and the landless poor. |