Dear ,

This fall, Virginia has one of the most watched elections in the country. See the news stories below. If you live in a competitive district, you are probably sick of the ads. 

What's striking is how little conversation there is about reducing poverty and racial disparities, despite reports that poverty among children more than doubled in 2022, to 12.4 percent, from a record low of 5.2 percent the year before. Guess those issues don't poll well. 

If candidates aren't talking about poverty, it is our job to ask candidates questions about what they will do to reduce poverty and racial disparities. Here are some questions for candidates we've recommended before:

• How should Virginia reduce poverty and racial disparities?
• What will you do to address Virginia's housing affordability crisis?
• Will you support childcare assistance for low-income families so they can work and care for their families?
• Will you support a paid sick day standard of at least five days for the 1.2 million Virginia workers without any paid sick days or paid time off?
• Do you think Virginia should extend health insurance to all children, regardless of their immigration status?
• Virginia incarcerates almost twice as many people as states with comparable populations. How can we reduce mass incarceration, reduce money spent on prisons and keep Virginia safe? 

Congregations and volunteers are continuing to step forward to encourage everyone to vote. Encourage your congregation to take the pledge today (see the pledge below). The following five congregations have taken the pledge to become 100 percent voting congregations this week (and will get our cool free banner).

• Provision Church (Springfield)
• Third Baptist Church (Hampton)
• Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church (Burke)
• St. Luke AME Church (Accomac)
• Shiloh Baptist Church (Norfolk)
• Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists (Williamsburg)
• Temple Beth-El (Richmond)

And volunteers have taken 7300 postcards to handwrite and mail notes to infrequent voters. We are looking for help with another 2700 postcards.  Email Robert@virginiainterfaithcenter.org if you can help write and mail 100 or more cards. 

All eyes are on Virginia, but not yet because of our passion for ending poverty and racial disparities. Let's do our best to keep poverty and racial inequities in the conversation. Poverty in America dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of investments in the safety net. Child poverty doubled in 2022 because we stopped those programs. Public policies matter. We have choices. We can substantially reduce poverty, or not. Ask candidates their plans for abolishing poverty. 

Thank you for your engagement,

Kim Bobo
Executive Director 

As people of faith, we believe that participating in democracy is an opportunity and an responsibility. VICPP encourages congregations to support their members in voting and engaging on issues. VICPP's and congregations' civic engagement work must be nonpartisan. Pledge today to help your members vote. Congregations that pledge get a free toolkit and banner to hang outside. Congregations that want to participate in a study about congregations and voting can receive an extra incentive of $500. 

Volunteer to be an election protection voter advocate on election day, November 7, in Hampton Roads, Richmond, Loudoun or Prince William. Election Protection voter advocates are the first line of defense for voting rights across Virginia. You will join a network of hundreds of Virginians across the Commonwealth answering questions and reporting problems during early voting and on election day. Volunteers are trained and guided throughout the entire process and are paid a stipend for their work. Become a defender of democracy and sign up to protect the vote. Click below to register and find shift times and locations.  

Not sure about your district or your registration?

If you aren’t sure about your new House and Senate districts, check today at the fabulous website run by the Virginia Public Access Project – VPAP. Simply type your home address and you’ll get info about your new House and Senate Districts and who is running in the primary election and the general election. 

Or, if you are not sure if you are registered, you can confirm your registration by checking with the Virginia Department of Elections using the button below. Don't forget, Virginia has same day voter registration, so make a plan to vote on election day even if you're not registered!

The greatest impact cannot be made alone. Get involved with VICPP and be a part of the mission to advocate for a more just and sustainable world, starting right here in our own communities. 

Click the buttons below to spread the word and to forward this email, and to donate to VICPP, an organization that has been doing impactful work for decades.   

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocates racial, social, and economic justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education, prayer, and action.