UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
African Americans for Aid to Africa: 05/25/95

African Americans for Aid to Africa: 05/25/95

On this thousands of concerned Americans will call their members of Congress and the chairs of the Foreign Operations Subcommittees, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Representative Sonny Callahan (R-AL) to send this message:

* Retain the Development Fund for Africa (DFA) and fund it at 1995's $802 million level. The DFA is the funding mechanism which assures that aid to Africa supports sustainable development and poverty alleviation projects.

* Maintain the African Development Foundation (ADF) at its current level of $17 million. The ADF is a government organization which is mandated to support small community- based development efforts and African scholars researching grassroots development issues.

* Oppose merging development programs into the State Department; such a merger further politicizes the aid process. President Clinton has included $802 million in funding for Africa in his budget proposal--this amounts to only $3 a year per U.S. household! Despite this inadequate amount Capitol Hill's conservative majority is determined to see it further reduced.

Reach your Member of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard at: (202) 224-3121.

The numbers for the Foreign Operations Chairmen are:

Senator McConnell: (202) 224-2541
Representative Callahan: (202) 225-4931

If you are only able to place one phone call, please prioritize a Foreign Operations Chairman.

This project is sponsored by African Americans for Aid to:

Africa 
c/o the Washington Office on Africa, 
110 Maryland Ave.
N.E., Suite 112, 
Washington, DC 20002.

WHAT YOU CAN DO!

* Participate in the National Phone Day! May 25 has been identified as National Phone Day. On this day thousands of Americans will be calling their Members of Congress with one simple message: "Don't cut assistance for poor people in the U.S. and Africa. Retain the Development Fund for Africa and fund it at 1995's $802 million level."

* Write. Write a letter to your legislator. As a voter your letter carries tremendous weight.

* Encourage organizations, for example churches and social justice and civil rights groups, and individuals in your community to also write letters to save aid to Africa.

* Hold a public Forum or Teach-in to orient and educate people about the provisions of legislative proposals that would undermine African and American poverty alleviation efforts.

* Develop a Speakers Bureau to send people to churches, community based organizations, colleges and university groups. There are many in your area, including you, who are able to speak knowledgeably on these issues. Contact them and arrange for them to speak.

If necessary, contact any of the resource organizations for speakers.

* Network with others in your community who are lobbying for deep cuts in the military budget and reforming the structure of U.S. foreign assistance policy. Mobilize with those organizations and invite them to join your advocacy efforts.

* Consider the use of direct action campaigns, including civil disobedience, to save benefits for those who need them, both at home and abroad.

* Contact local media to cover your activities and the view of your organization.

Encourage local media to report on Africa and other areas of interest to your community.

Write an opinion editorial explaining how you feel about the attempts to cut aid to Africa. Contact the editor of the opinion page for instructions for submitting your editorial.

* Fell free to contact resource organizations or agencies to assist you with the Save Aid to Africa campaign.

Organizational Resource List

For information on Africa and Congress's anti-Africa agenda contact:

American Committee on Africa
17 John St.
New York, NY 10038
Phone: (212) 962-1210
Fax: (212) 964-8570
Contact Person: Dumasani Kumalo

Bread for the World
1100 Wayne Ave., Suite 1000
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (301) 608-2400
Fax: (301) 608-2401
Contact Person: Sharon Pauling

TransAfrica
1744 R St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 797-2301
Fax: (202) 797-2382
Contact Person: Maryse Mills

United Methodist Church *GBCS
110 Maryland Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 488-5645
Fax: (202) 488-5639
Contact Person: Mark W. Harrison
* organization listed for identification purpose only

The Washington Office on Africa
110 Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 112
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 546-7961
Fax: (202) 546-1545

The following organizations can be contacted for information to support your efforts:

American Friends Service Committee
1501 Cherry St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (202) 241-7179

Center for Democratic Renewal
P.O. Box 5046
Atlanta, GA 30302
Phone: (404) 221-0025

Center for Constitutional Rights
666 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 614-6422
Break the Contract Hotline: 800-764-0235

Greenpeace Fund
1436 U St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 232-1590

NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
1275 K St. NW, #301
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 682-1300

For additional information:
Washington Office on Africa
110 Maryland Ave. NE, #112
Washington, DC 20002.
Phone: 202-546-7961.
Fax: 202-546-1545.
Email: woa@igc.apc.org.

Message-Id: [199505171504.IAA03034@igc3.igc.apc.org]
From: "Washington Office on Africa" [woa@igc.apc.org]
Date: Wed, 17 May 1995 11:02:33 +0000
Subject: African Americans for Aid to Africa: May 25 Phone Day