ALLIANCE UPDATE:
MAY 2018
In this Edition:
- Year Round Advocacy - Campaign, Elections & Legislative Recap
- Equitable Approach to Diabetes - State Meeting
- Florida YIG - 61st Annual State Assembly
- National Voter Registration Day
- Funding Opportunities
- Florida Ys in the News
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BUILDING COMMUNITIES
CAMPAIGN, ELECTION SEASON & 2018 LEGISLATIVE RECAP
Campaign & Elections
In Florida, the 2018 election campaigns are fully underway. The people elected make decisions which affect citizens of Florida for both the short and long term. This matters to you as a resident as well as a YMCA.
Following our year-round advocacy plan, it is important to know who the candidates are that are running for each position. They could be volunteers, members, or donors.
A normal campaign season will run as followed:
- May - August: Primary Election, Election Day: August 28
- August - November: General Election, Election Day: November 6
As we get further into campaign season you will see more people get involved in the political process. This involvement can include comments on social media, door knocking, registering voters, or donating money and a variety of similar activities.
Ys, as 501(c)(3) organizations, have to be careful. Under IRS rules, a 501(c)(3) cannot engage in the same kind of political process the same way as an individual or a for-profit corporation.
For help on this, check out Y-USA Campaign & Elections Do's and Don'ts.
If you have any questions, Please reach out to the Florida Alliance of YMCAs.
Legislative Recap
Following the 2018 Legislative Session, we are pleased to share the 2018 Florida Alliance of YMCAs Legislative Recap.
This legislative recap reviews the 2018 session, and the successes, opportunities, and potential impact the session will have to our YMCAs.
This is an important tool when reflecting on this year's session before developing a local advocacy plan for the next session.
On-Going Advocacy
Find your local Senator here, and your local Representative here.
Be on the look out for our Advocacy & Public Policy Guide and Advocacy Toolkit for future advocacy planning!
For a complete guide check out Y-USA's Updated Engaging with Public Officials Toolkit and the Exchange Page for Tools and Resources
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PROMOTING HEALTH. PREVENTING DISEASE.
EQUITABLE APPROACH TO DIABETES - STATE MEETING
The Florida Department of Health, in collaboration with
the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), hosted a Diabetes Prevention State Engagement Meeting April 17th & 18th.
Leaders from various sectors across the state heard from state and national experts, discussed current efforts around the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP), and developed an
action plan to address diabetes related health disparities in Florida.
Thank you to the following YMCAs for participating:
- Florida's First Coast YMCA
- Tampa Metropolitan YMCA
- YMCA of Central Florida
- YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg
- YMCA of the Suncoast
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WALK WITH PURPOSE
FLORIDA YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT - 61ST ANNUAL STATE ASSEMBLY
April 11th - 14th marked the 61st Annual Florida YMCA Youth In Government State Assembly Event. More than 500 students from across the state participated in this year's State Assembly event.
 Since 1957, high school students from across Florida have been convening at our Capitol to participate in a youth-run, youth-led model legislative process. Over the past 61 years, the annual State Assembly experience has prospered into a full-fledged, 4-day conference that offers 4 distinct and comprehensive
program areas: Legislative, Judicial, Press Corps, and Executive. Each section of programming seeks to model their real-world counterparts as closely as possible.
This year, some of the youth legislation highlights included:
- Domestic Violence
- Family Court Testifying Laws
- Criminal Punishment
- Cigarettes Usage Around Children
- Human Trafficking Education
- Incentives for Floridians using Solar Power
- Storage of Epinephrine in Public Educational Facilities
- Discrimination against Human Trafficking Victims
Congratulations to our incoming 2018-2019 Program Year Youth Leadership:
- Terrell White, Youth Governor, Sky Family YMCA
- Jackson Gaines, Lt. Governor, North Central Florida YMCA
- Tina Bhatt, Chief Justice, YMCA of the Suncoast
- Dale Hyde, Williams Senate President, YMCA of Central Florida
- Jeremy Ortmann, Williams House Speaker, YMCA of the Treasure Coast
- Osiris Ramos, Attorney General, YMCA of the Treasure Coast
- Kasun Navaratna, Chief Financial Officer, Sky Family YMCA
- Elizabeth Ranero, Commissioner of Agriculture, Tampa Metropolitan YMCA
- Emma Barska, Senior Justice, YMCA of Treasure the Coast
- Brandon Roses, Senior Justice, Tampa Metropolitan YMCA
- Esha Patel, Sullivan Senate President, North Central Florida YMCA
- Solomon Castro-Scholl, Sullivan Speaker of the House, YMCA of the Treasure Coast
Thank you to all of the YMCAs and volunteers that made the assembly a success!
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INSPIRING CHANGE
NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY
National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) takes place each year on the fourth Tuesday of September. It's sponsored by the bipartisan National Association of Secretaries of State.
YMCA of the USA has signed on as a partner of NVRD and encourages Ys to hold voter registration drives on or around Sept. 25.
Falling two weeks before the first state registration deadlines for the November election, NVRD is a great day to register new voters and celebrate democracy.
Starting in July you can sign up as an NVRD partner and receive free materials.
A toolkit and resources for local Y participation will also be available in July.
For more information, click here.
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TRANSFORM YOUR GAME
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Walmart Foundation - Community Grant Program
Through the annual program, grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to support local nonprofit organizations within the service area of individual Walmart stores in the areas of hunger relief and healthy eating, sustainability, women's economic empowerment, and/or career opportunities.
To be eligible, an organization must be tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3), (4), (6) or (19) of the Internal Revenue Code; be a recognized government entity (i.e., state, county, or city agency, including law enforcement or fire departments) that is requesting funds exclusively for public purposes; be a K-12 public or private school, charter school, community/junior college, state/private college or university; or be a church or other faith-based organization with a proposed project that benefits the community at large.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until December 31.
For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Walmart Foundation website.
Dollar General Literacy Foundation
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation was established in 1993 in honor of Dollar General's co-founder, J.L. Turner, who had only a third-grade education and was functionally illiterate. A farmer's son, Turner dropped out of school when his father was killed in an accident, but with determination and hard work he began what has now become a successful company.
To honor Turner's legacy, the foundation is accepting applications to its Youth Literacy Grants program. Through the program, grants of up to $4,000 will be awarded to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations working to help students who are reading below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading, including those with individualized education plans (IEPs).
The program supports the implementation or expansion of new or existing programs; the purchase of new technology or equipment in support of literacy initiatives; and/or the purchase of books, materials, or software.
See the Dollar General Literacy Foundation website for complete program guidelines, a list of 2017 grant recipients, and application instructions.
Deadline May 17th
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EXTRA, EXTRA
FLORIDA Ys IN THE NEWS
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