Get Involved

Step 1

Order an Offering of Letters kit (includes handbook and short video)

It is packed with useful background information, facts, foreign aid success stories that will make you an expert on our Offering of Letters topic! Available from our online store.

Step 2

Seek Support from Your Campus and Community

Identify key people on campus who can help in organizing the campaign like community service groups, campus ministers, social action clubs, professors or others.

Also call Bread for the World at 1-800-82-BREAD and ask to speak to the campus organizer for information about other active BFW members in your area. Churches, community groups and individual members maybe interested in joining your event or even being a guest speaker.

Step 3

Organize the Logistics

Prepare the place for your campaign. For a campus-wide letter writing campaign, set up a letter writing table at a popular place on campus during the busiest time of the day.

You can write letters at other hunger-related events. Just bring letter writing materials to activities like a panel discussion, guest speaker, Hunger Banquet or Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Since it only takes 90 seconds to write a letter, it can be included at the end of any event or serves as a good reflection time.

Step 4

Educate Your Campus

Publicize your event. Notify the campus media to generate articles about your campaign. Submit a letter to the editor in your local paper. Post hunger facts around campus to raise awareness to the issue. Announce your campaign with flyers, posters, email, phone calls, announcements in class, table tents and more!

Recruit volunteers to staff the table. You'll want at least two people at the table at all times. Train your volunteers on the issue and on good techniques for letter writing. With clipboards and letter writing materials in hand, the volunteers can approach people to write a letter and answer any questions.

Step 5

Conduct the Offering of Letters

Collect the tools for your campaign: paper, pens, stamps, envelopes, fact sheets and sample letters. To avoid buying envelopes, some people write their letters on large index cards and send them as postcards. Have copies of the sample letter at your table or on clipboards, or enlarge it to poster size. Encourage people to write the letter in their own words and to share their community service experiences. A personal, hand-written letter is much more effective in changing policy than a petition.

Step 6

Communicate with Bread for the World

Have a sign-up sheet at your table so you can stay in touch with interested letter writers. Call BFW after your event to tell us how many letters were written and for updated information about the legislation. Send a note or e-mail about the progress of the bill.