{"id":220,"date":"2025-05-13T12:57:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T12:57:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dogoodvirginia.org\/?p=220"},"modified":"2025-05-13T12:57:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T12:57:48","slug":"may-8-2025-meeting-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dogoodvirginia.org\/?p=220","title":{"rendered":"May 8, 2025 Meeting Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"

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From the May 8, 2025 DoGood Virginia Email newsletter:<\/p>\n

Showing up at rallies matters – our voices, our signs, our footsteps – they all send a message to our legislature that we are watching, we are listening, and we are not<\/em> going away until our democracy is safe.<\/p>\n

The current administration is working overtime to distract us. Every day there\u2019s a new outrage, a new manufactured crisis, or some ridiculous Facebook post designed to divide us, to exhaust us, to make us lose focus.<\/p>\n

To combat that, we gather to act. This week at our meeting we heard form community advocacy groups who are doing the work every single day\u2014organizing, feeding, housing, protecting, and fighting for our most vulnerable neighbors. They need our help. And we\u2019ve been helping\u2014but we must keep going as the fight is far from over.<\/p>\n

Red Wine & Blue<\/a> \u2013 Mobilizing Against Extremism<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sarah Goodman, Regional Organizer, introduced us to Red Wine & Blue<\/a>, a national community standing up to extremism. Founded in 2018, the organization employs distributive organizing to empower local groups and individuals.<\/p>\n

\u00a0A collaborative effort example is Roanoke County Schools United<\/a> for the unification of Roanoke County Schools with other districts across the state. This alliance supports candidates running for school board positions who align with the values of inclusivity and quality education.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Efforts are underway to mobilize groups to increase voter turnout in support of Lily Franklin’s campaign. Engaging communities and encouraging participation in the electoral process remain top priorities.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Click here to meet the candidates for Lieutenant Governor.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Their initiative, TroubleNation, focuses on relational organizing\u2014encouraging members to engage in conversations with friends and family about pressing issues. They provide user-friendly tools to facilitate these discussions. This link takes you to the Roanoke Social Circle<\/a> on Facebook.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Huddle Up Moms<\/a> \u2013 Supporting Mothers in Southwest Virginia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Jaclyn Nunziato, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Huddle Up Moms<\/a>, highlighted the organization’s mission to empower mothers through education, connection, and support. They have established Southwest Virginia’s first certified diaper bank, addressing the critical issue of diaper poverty affecting 1 in 3 families in the region. In rural SW Virginia an astonishing 2 in 3 families cannot afford diapers for their babies.<\/p>\n

Their programs also focus on maternal health and mental health support bridging gaps in services due to the clinic closures making SW Virginia a maternal healthcare wasteland. The organization serves approximately 250 mothers weekly is seeking supplies, volunteers and paid staff to expand their reach. Monday\u2019s, May 12th rally drive is for these supplies<\/strong>:<\/p>\n