Face to Face
Make an appointment
Politicians, particularly local politicians like City County Councilors and Township officials all will make time in their schedule to talk to constituents if you contact them for a meeting (obviously this gets more difficult the higher up the political ladder you go). Face-to-face communication is good for specific policy issues like votes or developments, but it also works very well to keep the general issues surrounding homelessness and the idea that these people need to be helped in the forefront of the decision maker's thinking.
Public meetings
Decision makers hold public meetings for many reasons. Attending a public meeting is extremely important, all the more so when the agenda for that meeting includes something directly related to homelessness. If the meeting is a general public forum, such as a "Mayor's Night Out", follow the steps in the Tips section, particularly about being concise. One specific issue or project is the best idea so you cannot be deflected. Come to the meeting with good information, and make sure to get written replies to your concerns or questions if possible later.
Invitation to events
If your church or school or organization has something empowering to show, or even just an overwhelming passion and concern for the issues at hand, inviting a public official to an event or meeting is a good way of getting that face-to-face advocacy started. For more information and help on setting events in motion, please contact CHIP, and we will gladly offer our assistance.
Resources:
Face-to-face communication is difficult to both ignore and forget, making it the most direct and potentially impactful form of advocacy available.
