Non Profit Organization Resource Center
ACTIONS TO PROMOTE CHANGE
An "Action" is an event organized to bring attention to a demand to fix the problem or change
the system.
- Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it
- Make the demand
- Take Action
Pre-Action Planning:
Make a group decision about:
What is the demand?
By whom and how will the demand will be made?
To whom will the demand be made?
All Actions Need:
Media coverage: issue a news release to all TV, radio and newspapers about date, time, place,
problem, and demand
Turn Out: call and remind people of date, time, and place. Arrange car-pooling and personally
pick-up people to ensure attendance
Props: large props are best because they will deliver an easy to see message, such as blowing-up
an Eviction Notice or Pink Slip onto a Poster Board. TV needs visual aids.
Slogans
1. Picket
Needed: People, People, People
Signs/ Slogans
Permit: check with city or county government responsible for geographic area where
you are holding the pickets
Chant: Rhyming is also good!
2. Write-In: Send empty paper plates with messages from those affected by the problem.
Needed: People
Paper Plates
Crayons, markers
People, Children
Labels ( 4"x 4") with demand typed onto them or hand write demand on each paper plate
3. Wake Up Call: Deliver wind-up alarm clocks with a demand letter that asks the agency to
Wake Up and Do_____________
Needed: People
Wind Up Alarm Clock(s)
4. Empty Food Basket: Deliver an empty food basket to the responsible public official with the
demand letter or show up with an empty food basket wherever the public official goes in his/her
official capacity. Place a sign on front the food basket which lists the demand in a short slogan.
Needed: People to deliver basket(s)
Bushel basket(s)
Pictures of children to paste on basket
Sign for front of basket
5. Candle Light Vigil: this is a "soft " protest event.
Needed: People
Candles
Bucket of water
Matches
Tinfoil with hole cut in middle to fit around candle to catch dripping wax
6. Holiday Themes: Deliver Stockings filled with coal at Christmas time, a "Turkey" Award at
Thanksgiving, Heartless Awards on Valentine's Day
Needed: People
Stockings, coal, fan-fold Turkey decoration, construction or poster board red heart Shape
with a black circle a round it and line through the middle. ( like no-smoking
signs)
7. Clean Slate: Use to demand change, deliver children's toy erasable slates
Needed: People
Toy slates
8. Pass Out Pink Slip(s): Use to demand that management be replaced. Deliver Pink Slips to
Director with a letter asking them to resign or to Elected Official who is responsible for the problem agency, issue....
Needed: People
Pink Paper with termination notice typed on it
9. Empty Baby Food Jars: Placea labels with slogan or demand on the baby food jar and leave
them in agency waiting room, restrooms, hallways, etc.
Needed: People
Baby food jars
Labels
10. Eviction Notices: Present Eviction Notices to public official responsible, evicting them
from the child support enforcement system
Needed: People
Poster board with large Eviction Notice or 8x11 paper with Eviction Notice typed onto
it or buy pre-printed eviction notices and fill in.
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