Take Action: Anne Sullivan Macy Act

June 27, 2013 (Helen Keller's Birthday): National Macy Act Call-In Day

Read the complete text of the Macy Act.

Five Great Ways to Help!

• Call on Your Senators and Representatives to Support the Anne Sullivan Macy Act
• Tweet Your Support for #MacyAct
• Spread the Word About the Macy Act on Facebook and Google+
• Show Your Organization's Support for the Macy Act
• Set Up Your Own Macy Act Call-In Day Activities!

Call on Your Senators and Representatives to Support the Anne Sullivan Macy Act

These phone numbers are currently active; however we are hoping for the greatest number of calls on June 27, the National Macy Act Call-In Day.

Three Simple Steps for Calling in Your Support

1. Dial these call-in numbers:
   • U.S. House of Representatives: 1-855-882-MACY (6229)
   • U.S. Senate: 1-877-959-MACY (6229)
2. Enter your zip code to connect to your U.S. House of Representatives member or to each of your two U.S. Senators.
3. After identifying yourself and letting them know you're a constituent, ask your member of Congress, and their staff whom you're likely to speak to, to sponsor the Anne Sullivan Macy Act, and ask them to get back to you with their response. Point them to: www.afb.org/MacyAct for the full text of the legislation and for an online support petition.

Don't be disappointed if you only talk to a receptionist or if you get their voicemail; the fact that you are their constituent and are taking the time to bring the Macy Act to their attention is what it's all about. If you like, you can ask to speak to the staffer in the office who works on special education issues. Once you've made your calls, we'd love to hear how it went, so please give us a call or drop us a note at rsheffield@afb.net. Thank you for your advocacy for children who are blind or visually impaired!

Tweet Your Support

Let's spread our support across the Twitter-verse on June 27th (and before and afterwards)! Most congress members are now on Twitter and actively monitor feedback sent their way. Plus, by including the hashtag #MacyAct, you and all the other Macy Act supporters can track the "Twitter storm" of support!

1. Go to www.tweetcongress.org and enter your zip code to find the Twitter handles for your Representative and two Senators (the Twitter handle is listed underneath the senator/representative's name, to the right of his/her picture)
2. From your Twitter account (mobile or web), send a tweet beginning with the Twitter handle (remember to include the "@" sign before the Twitter handle) and including the URL www.afb.org/MacyAct and the hashtag #MacyAct
3. From Twitter, search/follow #MacyAct to see who else is tweeting their support
4. Retweet!

Sample Tweets (Feel Free to Write Your Own!)

Insert the Twitter handles for your own Senators and Representatives and the abbreviation for your own state in place of the examples provided here:

• @MySenator Please sponsor the #MacyAct. Students who are #blind or #lowvision in (State) deserve appropriate evaluation and instruction! afb.org/MacyAct
• @MyRepresentative (State) #blind & #lowvision students want you to sponsor #MacyAct. All students deserve truly appropriate education! afb.org/MacyAct

To clarify, if you were from the 21st district in Texas, you might tweet:

• @JohnCornyn Please sponsor the #MacyAct. Students who are #blind or #lowvision in TX deserve appropriate evaluation and instruction! afb.org/MacyAct
• @LamarSmithTX21 TX students who are #blind or #lowvision want you to sponsor #MacyAct. All students deserve truly appropriate education! afb.org/MacyAct

Get creative! Use twitpic.com or other tools to tweet photos of yourself with a sign supporting the Macy Act!

Spread the Word on Facebook and Google+

Post your support on Facebook and/or Google+ with a link to www.afb.org/MacyAct.

Show Your Organization's Support for the Macy Act

• Has your organization endorsed the Macy Act? Read a list of organizations that endorse the Macy Act and find out how to add your organization to the list!
• Connect your website's readers to www.afb.org/MacyAct
• Invite readers to explore the full text of the Macy Act
• Let us know you're helping spread the word by sending an email to rsheffield@afb.net
• Use the social media links below to share this page
• View and share this Macy Act advocacy video:
  
  

Set Up Your Own Call-In Day Activities!

What ideas to you have to promote the Macy Act? Send/Tweet/share photos if you host an information table or engage students, families, and parents in exciting ways.

Don't forget to check out the fantastic supporting materials at the joint AFB and Perkins project published on the web at: www.ECCAdvocacy.org.

Thank You for Your Support!

Thank you in advance for your support! In making these important calls and tweets and sharing the Macy Act with your friends and colleagues, you are joining families, professionals, and consumers from all across America who are as concerned as you are about the readiness of kids with vision loss for college and career.

Named for Helen Keller's beloved teacher, the Anne Sullivan Macy Act would dramatically improve educational results for the more than 100,000 students in America with vision loss, many of whom have additional disabilities. The Macy Act would ensure that these students are properly evaluated and served in light of all their unique learning needs. Without the Anne Sullivan Macy Act, our nation's special education system will remain unable to deliver on its promise of a truly appropriate education for our kids.

Be sure to sign AFB's petition in support of the Macy Act.