Please Support VOR
Friday, February 10, 2006
Dear VOR Friends,
Thank you for your past advocacy
support.
With this e-mail letter, I'm asking
for your financial support.
Your contributions are needed to
advance VOR's important work on
behalf of
people with mental retardation.
VOR's entire budget comes from the
support
of its membership, primarily the
families of people with mental
retardation.
Here is a very brief summary of some
of what we have been doing for you
and
our constituency with mental
retardation:
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS:
* VOR was an proactive voice the
recent Federal Budget debate. Since
November 2005, we sent out at least
4 Action Alerts, joined several
sign-on
letters to Congress, sent 4 direct
faxes to every Member of Congress ,
and
pursued selective member and
Congressional communication.
* VOR will continue to provide our
full membership analyses of the 2006
federal budget and the 2007 federal
budget proposal, with particular
emphasis on Medicaid reform and its
impact on people with mental
retardation.
*VOR will continue its communication
with Congress, the Administration,
the
Office on Disability, and the
Medicaid Commission on issues
important to
our membership.
*VOR will be announcing soon the
addition of a new Washington,
D.C.-area
office and introducing our new
Washington Representative.
*Planning is well-underway for the
2006 Annual Meeting and Washington
Initiative, the annual event that is
credited for putting VOR and our
Mission on the radar screen of every
Congressional office. This year, the
theme of our meeting is "The Power
of Grassroots Advocacy in the
Legislature, Courts, and Media: How
to develop, nurture, and harness our
strengths." Visit
http://vor.net/AnnualMeeting2006.html
for details.
LEGAL AFFAIRS
* VOR is actively involved on behalf
of families in eight (8)
nationally-significant legal actions
in Illinois, Tennessee, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio,
Massachusetts, and Washington State.
In four
of these cases, VOR located legal
counsel for families. In Illinois,
Maryland and Florida, legal counsel
is acting pro bono. In Ohio and
Massachusetts, VOR participated as
Amicus Curiae ("friend of the
court). In
Tennessee, VOR legal counsel, Bill
Sherman, donates thousands of hours
annually to representing the
families (and has done so for more
than 12
years).
ADVOCACY
*VOR is active in a number of
states, helping with critical
state-level
advocacy initiatives. For example,
in Illinois, we are working to
defeat a
proposal to reduce facility census
by 25%. In Louisiana, we are
providing
support to the development of a
report that justifies continued use
of
state operated developmental centers
and expanded community options. In
Florida, we helped draft a
legislative proposal aimed at
codifying choice
in residential options and provided
an advocacy training workshop.
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE
Each and every day we are doing all
of the above and more. As you have
come
to expect, we will continue to
provide our membership the regular
updates,
credible information, and timely
reports.
As recipients of the Weekly E-Mail
Update, you are among the most
privileged, in that you receive
weekly updates on federal
developments and
state trends, as well as regular
Action Alerts.
I know you appreciate receiving this
weekly news and embrace VOR's
Mission.
Most of you respond promptly and
regularly to calls for advocacy. We
appreciate you!
To support VOR's important work, I
ask that you come through again with
flying colors and send a special
financial contribution to VOR today.
For a contribution form visit,
http://vor.net/FRForm.html.
Many thanks for your consideration
and generosity.
With gratitude,
Tamie Hopp
Executive Director
Editor, VOR Weekly E-Mail Update and
The Voice
P.S. Another way you can help is
reaching out - or referring to us -
sponsors for the 2006 Annual Meeting
(e.g., organizations, businesses,
foundations). Visit
http://vor.net/Sponsors2006.html
for details. Thank
you!
