May 18, 2015 Advocacy Alert

Join a Week of Action to Fund, Reauthorize and Protect the Older Americans Act! #WeAreOAA

NOTE: n4a and a key group of other national aging advocates have worked collectively for months to develop messages, materials and opportunities to raise the profile of the Older Americans Act and engage OAA supporters far and wide in speaking up for this vital law! We strongly encourage all AAAs and Title VI programs to use the following materials to activate your own local and state networks THIS WEEK—this effort must reach service recipients, caregivers and other community members who value the Act!

The Older Americans Act (OAA) is celebrating 50 years of providing services to help millions of seniors every year age with health, independence and dignity in their homes and communities! To highlight this historic year, the Administration on Aging has chosen Get Into the Act as the theme of this May’s Older Americans Month.
We must tell Congress that the Older Americans Act is celebrating 50 years of successfully and cost-effectively serving older adults and caregivers and demand that they fund, reauthorize and protect OAA now!

Join n4a, our national aging organization partners and other grassroots advocates THIS WEEK, May 18-22 for a Week of Action for OAA to learn more about the Older Americans Act and the services it supports and to contact your Members of Congress about why it is critical to fund, reauthorize and protect OAA.

TODAY, MONDAY, May 18:

PROMOTE the Week of Action for OAA activities! Contact your networks to share this information and let them know how they can get involved! For more information about this event and resources that you can share visit www.n4a.org/WeAreOAA. When promoting on social media, don’t forget to use #WeAreOAA and also consider posting these resources on your own website.

TUESDAY, May 19:

PARTICIPATE in the #WeAreOAA Twitter Chat! On Tuesday, May 19 at 1:00 pm ET, discuss Older Americans Act programs and the need for reauthorization. Led by organizations from the Eldercare Workforce Alliance (@ElderCareTeam), the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (@LCAgingOrgs), of which n4a is an active member, and featuring the Administration on Community Living (@ACLgov), this Twitter Chat will be an online forum for aging advocates, older Americans, and family caregivers. To participate in the chat, visit https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOAA or http://twubs.com/WeAreOAA. Also, check out this #WeAreOAA Twitter Chat guide for more information.

WEDNESDAY, May 20:

EMAIL Congress! Write to your members of Congress to tell them why your community needs them to fund, reauthorize and protect the OAA: http://bit.ly/1EifaCg.

THURSDAY, May 21:

CALL Congress! Urge your Senators and Representative to fund, renew and protect the Older Americans Act by restoring appropriations to at least the fiscal year 2010 levels, passing a bipartisan reauthorization and removing the continued threat of across-the-board sequestration cuts. Get more tips and the call-in number sponsored by LeadingAge here: https://www.n4a.org/Files/OAA%20call-in%20script.pdf.

FRIDAY, May 22:

TELL your OAA story! The Administration on Aging wants to hear from YOU about what OAA means to you and your loved ones. Share stories, photos and videos with them to build awareness about the importance of OAA in communities everywhere!

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If you have questions or concerns about this Advocacy Alert or n4a’s policy positions, please contact Autumn Campbell at acampbell@n4a.org and Amy Gotwals at agotwals@n4a.org.

Read this n4a Advocacy Alert in a PDF.


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