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United Way Texas (www.uwtexas.org/public-policy) is asking all local United Ways to pick up where we left off in 2009.  It is time to gather our volunteers, community leaders, parents, teachers, and staff and start rallying around UNIVERSAL PRE K in Texas.

MCUW started its first attempt at advocacy lead by our WLC.   The Board, SB6 and WLC members all signed a Pre-K Resolution promoting Universal all day pre-k.  Then SB6 hosted several “lunch and learns” where ‘experts’ such as Jason Sabo, Sr. VP of Public Policy at UWT talked to a group of approximately 45 potential advocates.  The presentations were always centered around HB131 and SB21-promoting all day Universal Pre K.  WLC hosted an evening event at The Owen Theatre with Representative Rob Eissler.

During the months of March, April and May staff Tia Decker made several trips to the capital to visit with our elected officials and attend statewide meetings, discussing strategies to push the bills forward.  In April Lucinda Owen, Lynda Sasser, Julie Martineau and Tia Decker returned to Austin for the same reason.

As we all know the end result was, SB21 made it to the Governor’s office but was vetoed.  This year, UWT hopes to get more volunteers, parents and staff involved and see this go all the way through.

MCUW will begin hosting “lunch and learns” and informing the community on the best and most effective ways to advocate.   Advocacy can be a phone call, a letter, a visit with a local official, a speech of behalf of our underserved children.

This project truly exemplifies ADVOCATE as we Give and Volunteer.  For more information on how to become an ADVOCATE, please call Rachel Harris, MCUW Director of Initiatives at 936-760-4179, ext. 267 or email:  rachel@mcuw.org