TIME TO TAKE ACTION - HERE'S HOW

As Human Service providers and members of the Provider’s Council, we at HMEA are committed to assisting in the People First Campaign tomorrow.

FACT: The Governor is planning to cut additional funds to balance the state budget.

FACT: Human Services and the most vulnerable residents of the Commonwealth have already had to shoulder the burden of a disproportionately high amount of cuts.

TAKE ACTION: On Tuesday, October 20, 2009, everyone in the human services sector has the opportunity to take part in the People First! Campaign, and participate in a virtual protest with 185,000 of their colleagues across the state.


We anticipate this campaign continuing through the FY ’11 budget process.

The Governor and legislature must know about the potential dangers of making any further cuts to the human services sector. To come together and make the greatest impact, it is important that everyone participates in the People First! campaign over the course of one day to make our voices heard. The rally will be virtual and can be done from your desk, but we stress the grave importance of participating. If many choose not to participate and we do not show the Governor the collective strength of our sector, we are in danger of losing more crucial funding for vital human services.

TAKE ACTION TODAY, MONDAY OCTOBER 19TH:
1.If you are on Facebook, join the cause “Stop Further Cuts to People with Disabilities” and spread the cause to your friends (suggested script below)

2.Catch up with the action on our blog www.hmeaupdates.blogspot.com


TAKE ACTION TOMORROW, TUESDAY OCTOBER 20TH:
1.Make 3 phone calls - the Governor’s office, your State Senator, your Representative (a script you may use is provided below- if you have time for only one phone call, please make it to the Governor’s office).

2.Send 1 email to the Governor (verbiage below)

3.If you are on Twitter, sign the Twitter petition at (http://act.ly/ov)

4.If you are on Facebook, become a fan of the Governor’s Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/GovernorPatrick) and send the message below


PHONE SCRIPT: CALL THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AT 617.725.4005 OR 888.870.7770

Hello, I’m part of the People First Campaign, and I’m calling to protest further cuts to people with disabilities. Thank you.
(Do not expect to be able to tell a personal story due to the staff taking such a high volume of phone calls; however, if you can engage the staff person on the phone, have a brief personal message about what services you receive or provide, what they receive that they couldn’t manage without, and if you work at an organization – how supporting the people at your job allows their families to stay productive at their jobs)

EMAIL MESSAGE: SEND TO THE GOVERNOR’S EMAIL BY GOING TO www.mass.gov; CLICK ON ‘DEVAL PATRICK, GOVERNOR’, CLICK ON ‘CONTACT INFORMATION’ AND FILL OUT THE FORM – PASTE THIS IN THE MESSAGE CONTENT BLOCK:

I am part of the People First Campaign, and I’m writing to ask you not to make any further budget cuts that will affect people with disabilities (you may continue with ‘like my child’ or ‘like the people I support at my job’ and you may also write a personal message about what effects further cuts will have to them personally…what services do they receive that they couldn’t manage without, and why?). Government should not balance the budget on the backs of the people for whom it should be doing the most. It is unfair to ask our sector to give and give a disproportionately high amount every single time.


TWITTER MESSAGES: SEND TO THE GOVERNOR’S TWITTER PAGE @MassGovernor

1.People First! Do not further cut supports to the disabled. I vote!

2.People First! My family cannot provide for our child with disabilities if you cut more.

3.People First! I work with people with disabilites, and my job allows their families to work!


FACEBOOK MESSAGES: SEND TO THE GOVERNOR ON HIS PAGE www.facebook.com/GovernorPatrick

1.I(choose one: am a family member of a person with disabilities/am a caregiver for a person with disabilities/work for an agency that provides support to people with disabilities) and I protest further budget cuts to people with disabilities. Too often, the state has cut services to the most vulnerable individuals among us. The Commonwealth’s obligation is to protect this population, not cut services to them. People First!

2.I (choose one: am a family member of a person with disabilities/am a caregiver for a person with disabilities/work for an agency that provides support to people with disabilities) and I protest further budget cuts to people with disabilities. People First!

3.I (choose one: am a family member of a person with disabilities/am a caregiver for a person with disabilities/work for an agency that provides support to people with disabilities) and I protest further budget cuts to people with disabilities. It is up to our leaders in government, who we have elected, to run the state and provide care for the most vulnerable and to think of all solutions that do not sacrifice the quality of care we provide. People First!