Join us June 23
Rally in Springfield or Rally by Phone

Thousands of people came to the “Day of Action” rally Thursday at the Thompson Center in Chicago to raise their voices in opposition to the proposed budget cuts and the need for increased revenue for vital services in Illinois. Early childhood programs and advocates were out in force at the rally with posters and loud voices.

As you already know, many state agencies have sent out letters to organizations detailing the specific cuts they will make under the current proposal. See the letters. The threat of budget cuts is becoming more real every day and we need to continue pressuring legislators and the governor to craft a new budget that does not cut funding for critical services in Illinois.

Another rally is planned for Tuesday, June 23, in Springfield. There are two options for participation! We need as many early childhood programs and their families to participate as possible.
 
Option 1: Rally in Springfield (in person) 

When: June 23, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Where: Illinois State Capitol, Springfield

Transportation

• The SEIU is chartering FREE buses from various parts of the state to attend the rally. Get bus pick-up locations for northern Illinois and downstate Illinois. 
• If you live in or near Springfield, please drive or walk to the rally.
• Carpool with friends or colleagues.

Posters/Signs/T-Shirts/Stickers
If you attend the rally, please bring posters or wear a T-shirt to help put the spotlight on early childhood.

• Make and bring a poster with a message about how bad the cuts will be for children (see the above picture for examples of posters).
• Decorate a white t-shirt with messages about how bad the cuts will be for children and early childhood programs.

Option 2: "Call-In" Rally (use your phone)

What: A “Call-In Rally” is an opportunity to flood legislators’ phone lines with calls on a particular issue. If you are not able to attend the rally in person, please join our “Call-In Rally.”  All you need is your phone! 

When: June 23, particularly between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (during the in-person rally), or at any point during the day.

Who:
For this “Call-In Rally,” we ask that you make calls to your legislators and the governor at their Springfield offices. The links in the previous sentence have talking points and the phone numbers you can call.

Forward this e-mail to all of your friends, family, coworkers, board members, and program participants and ask them to participate in the rally to protect human service programs.