The Outreach Ministry FAQ &wmp; Links
How can I contact my congressional representatives?
A list is available here. [PDF format]
How can I know if this charity is doing a good job?
Here are three websites to help you determine this.
- The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) is a nationally prominent charity watchdog service whose purpose is to help donors make informed giving decisions.
- Guidestar
- The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance (the Alliance) helps donors make informed giving decisions and advances high standards of conduct among organizations that solicit contributions from the public. The Alliance was formed in 2001 through the merger of the National Charities Information Bureau with the Council of Better Business Bureaus' Foundation. The Alliance produces in-depth evaluative reports on national charities based on comprehensive Standards for Charity Accountability and publishes a quarterly magazine, the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide.
What is Advocacy? And Why is it Important?
Advocacy means taking action in support of a specific outcome with regard to government policy or legislation. We advocate because we want those who represent us in government to understand that we feel strongly about a position and want them to take specific action on our behalf. We can influence our elected officials through the local news media, by communicating with them directly, and through other leaders. (It is against the law for religious groups and other non-profits to advocate with regard to candidate or a political party. It is legal and appropriate for groups to advocate on behalf of specific issues, positions, actions, and policy outcomes.)
Being an advocate for policy change is important because government rules and regulations affect so many aspects of our lives. Even small changes in policy can have tremendous adverse effects on people living in poverty or on the margin. The government also has vast financial resources which can be used in more or less effective ways to alleviate poverty by providing basic services and opportunities to people.
Our elected officials need to know how we want them to act. They need to know that our faith shapes our values and as Christians we take our responsibility to care for the poor seriously.
(Parts of this were taken from " Eradicating Global Poverty: A Christian Study Guide on the Millennium Development Goals" Produced by the National Council of the Churches of Christ)
Here are some important and effective advocacy groups that you might want to check out:
What are the UN Millennium Development Goals?
The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world's countries and all the world's leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world's poorest.
Find out more here
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