Advocacy and Policy

Sample Letter

Effective letters:

  • Include your name and address, so your members of Congress know that you are a constituent
  • Ask for a specific action
  • Support your request with specific reasons

We’ve included a sample letter, but we encourage you to write in your own words and provide an example of a positive after-school program in your community.

View in PDF form

Sen. [Senator]
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510



Date

Dear Sen. [Stabenow or Levin],
Please co-sponsor the Improving the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act of 2010.  This bill will reauthorize this important program and renew our country's commitment to high-quality after-school programs.  After-school programs are extremely important here in [your state, city or town]. [Insert a sentence or two about your program, describing its benefit to your community.]

Millions of families rely on these programs to keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and relieve parents of worries about what their children are doing during out-of-school hours.  Evaluations of 21st CCLC and other after-school programs show they are successful in decreasing juvenile crime and that students who participate in after-school programs improve their grades, attend school more regularly, are more likely to stay in school and attain higher levels of achievement in college. As a nation, we expect schools, communities, and families to work together to keep our children safe before, during and after school hours. Please co-sponsor this important legislation.

Sincerely,
[name]
[program/affiliation]
[address]