This week all of our thoughts are with those in the path of Hurricane Florence. Many of our MomsRising staff and members are in the path of the storm, and we know first-hand how intense the experience can be. We are thinking of you today.

Please see this week's list of top actions below, including a call for justice for Puerto Rico one year after Hurricane Maria. We also have easy and urgent actions around SNAP, the Kavanaugh nomination, back to school, and our exciting #MomsVote program. Thank your all you do, and #KeepMarching!  

1. Quick Call to Protect SNAP  

BACKGROUND: It’s crunch time in terms of securing a Farm Bill that protects SNAP (food stamps) and we need all the help we can get to ramp up energy and make sure our voices are heard by our elected officials! This is an urgent matter: 1 in 6 children in our nation are experiencing food insecurity and we can’t cut access to food now. It’s time to act. Call your U.S. Representative TODAY and tell him/her to protect SNAP! It's easy! Just call 1-888-668-8919 and tell your Representative “Protect our families in the Farm Bill by voting against unnecessary work requirements and cuts to SNAP!” (When you call this number we will walk you through the process and connect you with your Representative. You can do this!). Thousands of people will be calling Congress this week...make sure you are one of them!

2. One Year After Maria: Call on Congress to ensure a #JustRecovery for Puerto Rico!   

BACKGROUND: On September 20th 2017, Hurricane Maria tore through communities in Puerto Rico, devastating the Island. Maria knocked out 100 percent of the electrical grid and 95 percent of cellphone tower in Puerto Rico, triggering a collapse in emergency communications. A federal report found that FEMA staff were not ready to support recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, including not having enough bilingual employees to communicate with local residents or translate documents. While officials initially attributed 64 deaths to the storm, the humanitarian and administrative crisis on the island led to thousands of deaths. A report from George Washington University showed 2,975 excess deaths in Puerto Rico in the six months after Maria’s landfall. Join us today to call on Congress to ensure a #JustRecovery for Puerto Rico.

3. Write a Letter to the Editor to Speak Out to #StopKavanaugh!

BACKGROUND: Judge Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, is an extreme and dangerous political pick—his judicial record shows he is a threat to our families’ health care, women’s reproductive health, gun safety legislation, and immigrant, LGBTQ+, and workers’ rights. We need everyone to speak out to stop this nomination! Join us in writing a letter to the editor speaking out against Kavanaugh’s nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court! We make it easy with talking points and writing tips. Click here to get started!

4. Be a Champion for Healthy Schools: Sign up for your Power Pack!  

BACKGROUND: All of our children deserve the opportunity to succeed, whether they want to be an astronaut, open a restaurant, or play third base. Children are full of possibility and potential. As parents, caregivers and adults, that gives us great hope for this world. Our children will craft and create a bright and beautiful future. Our role is to give our children the building blocks to succeed. The healthy school day is an important place to start. And guess what? Schools need parents more than ever before. At a time when our Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is trying arm teachers with guns, and schools have more cops than counselors, it's more important than ever before for parents and caregivers to step up and get involved. We can help! We’re thrilled to announce that our brand-new, hot-off-the-presses Parent Power Pack is full of useful information and resources for supporting the healthy school day. Sign up for your free copy!

5. Power Up #MomsVote!  

BACKGROUND: Ready to help get out a massive, energized, ready-to-change-the-world #MomsVote for the crucial November elections? Awesome. We need you! Make a donation to MomsRising BEFORE midnight on Sunday Sept. 30, and we’ll send you a limited-edition #CantWait2Vote button. Wear it proudly! Show everyone your plan to be a committed voter, and inspire others to vote, too! Here's what it looks like, below. Please donate today! 

Thank you for all you do, we're excited for this fall (!!) and #KeepMarching! 

P.S. Hit the #CantWait2Vote Panic Button! The #CantWait2Vote Panic Button is not only a stress reliever that keeps a record of your moments of frustration, but also serves as a powerful tool for generating voter momentum as we approach Election Day! Here's how it works: When news or other information flying across your timeline, tv screen, radio broadcast or newspaper makes you want to scream I CAN'T WAIT TO VOTE!, fill in the reason why, then punch your #CantWait2Vote Panic Button. Your reason is then recorded on your own personalized #CantWait2Vote page, and you can easily share it by email or social media too. Together we're forming a  collective #CantWait2Vote shout that reminds others to vote, too. (We know that social pressure is a prime motivator for voters!) Join us: hit the #CantWait2Vote button!

P.P.S. Want to have a book gathering that's also a GET OUT THE VOTE moment because the November elections are coming soon, and it’s time to rise!  Sign up here to get more info! ***And whether you’re having a book gathering or not, you can get the #KeepMarching book that shares best practices in organizing, and also has stories, an overview of top issues, and more (All proceeds go to MomsRising and it’s on a special sale here. There’s also a list of places it’s on sale here.