Join Us in Columbus on Wednesday, April 30th for Lobby Day!
Together, we have the power to affect policies that impact the lives of our community. Each year, Adoption Network Cleveland volunteers and staff travel in teams to lobby our state representatives and senators, both freshman and veterans alike. We set Wednesday, April 30th as our 2025 Lobby Day! Volunteers will advocate for our public policy agenda, deliver materials, and give the attention-getting gift of a branded candy jar.
Can you spend April 30th in Columbus with us?
Do you want your voice to be heard on these issues? Do you have an interest in learning how government operates? How about putting political advocate on your resume? If you answered yes to any of these, then we want you to volunteer! Up to 30 volunteers are needed in Columbus for a full day of advocacy and outreach. Our day will go from 9:30 AM to 3 PM and lunch will be provided. Carpooling may be an option for those needing transportation.
Worried about not knowing what to say? Never fear! Adoption Network Cleveland will provide training and talking points on issues, and you will work in groups of two or three while meeting the legislators. Can’t make it to Columbus? We have a job for you too! We need help with pre-event preparations too.
If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please email board member and Public Policy Committee Chair Kirsten Simonton (kirsten.simonton@gmail.com) with a copy to Betsie Norris (betsie.norris@adoptionnetwork.org), by February 28th. After you sign up, we will reach out to you with specifics.
This is a perfect opportunity to get involved, discover and/or learn new skills, and make a difference! Training is provided to all. Consider donating your time and talent to benefit our collective network before or on Lobby Day. Our 2024 Lobby Day was extremely successful. Our volunteer teams met in person with over 50 key House and Senate offices (legislators and their staff). This year, we hope to match or exceed our 2024 reach. To do this, we need YOU! Please sign up by Friday, February 28th.
About Lobby Day
Lobby Day is critical as it provides a unique and effective way to discuss issues that impact the communities we serve with the people who have the power to fix them. It’s not just important for us; it’s needed by our government representatives as well. The 136th Ohio State General Assembly is newly underway, and we need to make our voice heard.
It is our civic responsibility to speak up. It is our representative government’s responsibility to listen. All parties want to see better outcomes, and our state elected officials rely on the communities’ voices for information, feedback, and support on what works and what does not. In fact, it was our 2012 Lobby Day meeting with State Senator Bill Beagle’s staff that got him interested in sponsoring Ohio Senate Bill 23, which passed in 2013 and created access to their birth records for 400,000 Ohio adoptees with previously closed records. We always have our ear to the ground to discover who in our state legislature has a personal connection with and/or passion for our mission.
Our Public Policy Agenda
On this year’s Lobby Day, we will focus on key elements of our Public Policy Agenda during our visits. These will broadly include:
· Promoting specific ethical and equitable practices in adoption and child welfare
· Promoting truth and transparency in donor conception and adoption
· Fostering sibling connections
