We joinined the #givingtuesday movement. we hope you will, too.

Give thanks by giving back.

​This year, on Tuesday, November 29, 2016, VOTE is participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to charitable giving and volunteerism.

In working to reform Louisiana's broken criminal justice system, VOTE fights to help not just one person, but hundreds, thousands, even a hundred thousand. While much of what our community organizers do every day connects directly impacted people with the resources they need to seek opportunity and to thrive, the bulk of our organizational work focuses on big-picture changes like sentencing reform and fair housing policies. We may help a mother and son find a ride to Angola State Penitentiary to visit a loved one, or host the LSU Dental School's Toothbus for free dental screenings in our parking lot, but we're suing the Louisiana Secretary of State to get voting rights back to everyone in the state on probation and parole at the same time.

This work is not done in a silo. We are deeply rooted in our community and rely on our members to provide us with direction. We partner with a vast array of local and national organizations who focus on various aspects of criminal justice reform and related work. But more than anyone, we couldn't do this work without the support of our donors and volunteers. That's why we joined #GivingTuesday.

Last year, more than 45,000 organizations in 71 countries came together to celebrate #GivingTuesday. Since its founding in 2012, #GivingTuesday has inspired giving around the world, resulting in greater donations, volunteer hours, and activities that bring about real change in communities.

As you spend the upcoming holiday reflecting on all that we have to be thankful for, we hope you'll join us on #GivingTuesday by making a gift to support our work. But whether you use this season of gratitude and giving to support criminal justice reform through VOTE or you give to another charity whose work is important to you, whether you give your time or your money, whether you tell the world that you participated in #GivingTuesday by using the hashtag on social media or you give anonymously, we are happy to count you among the socially-conscious supporters of charitable work.

Thank you in advance,
Bruce Reilly
Deputy Director

---