PLANNED PARENTHOOD MINNESOTA NORTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA ACTION FUND

IN FY 2025 ACTION FUND STAFF RESPONDED TO CONTINUED ATTACKS ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS. STAFF COLLABORATED WITH ALLIES AT THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE AND IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO OPPOSE AND DEFEAT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PUT UP BARRIERS TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE IN MINNESOTA AS WELL AS MINIMIZE ANY FUNDING CUTS TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE. STAFF ALSO WORKED TO EDUCATE STATE LAWMAKERS ON THE IMPACTS FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND RULES HAD ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE CARE IN THE STATE. ACTION FUND STAFF IN ALL THREE STATES OPERATED A SOPHISTICATED DIGITAL PROGRAM THAT GENERATED 92,298 WEBSITE VISITS, 19 BLOG POSTS, AND GAINED 1,604 NEW FOLLOWERS ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. IN OUR CONTINUED RESPONSE TO THE ABSENCE OF A NATIONAL RIGHT TO ABORTION, ACTION FUND STAFF ORGANIZED SUPPORTERS TO LOBBY THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO OPPOSE AND DEFEAT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PUT UP BARRIERS TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE IN MINNESOTA AS WELL AS MINIMIZE ANY FUNDING CUTS TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, AND CONTINUED TO GROW AND EXPAND OUR GRASSROOTS, YOUTH, AND CAMPUS ORGANIZING WORK. ACTION FUND STAFF HELD 69 EVENTS TO EDUCATE, ENGAGE, AND ACTIVATE SUPPORTERS AND VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING AN INFLUX OF NEW VOLUNTEERS. THESE EVENTS INCLUDED TRAININGS AND EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS ABOUT ISSUES OF FOCUS FOR LEGISLATIVE SESSION, HOW TO SHARE YOUR PERSONAL STORIES, DISMANTLING STIGMA AROUND SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, PHONE BANKS, DOOR KNOCKS, ATTENDING AND HOLDING COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND MORE. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR STAFF AND YOUTH LEADERS HELD NUMEROUS EVENTS WITH HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS IN ATTENDANCE TO PACKAGE ABORTION CARE KITS FOR USE IN PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINICS. ON ONE DAY ALONE, 73 SUPPORTERS PARTCIPATED IN CARE PACKAGE CREATION, DONATING OVER $1,500 IN SUPPLIES AND PACKING OVER 1,300 KITS FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD PATIENTS. DURING THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATIVE SESSION, ACTION FUND STAFF ENGAGED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THROUGH GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, TEXT BANKING, PHONE BANKING, AND DIGITAL OUTREACH TO PROTECT AND EXPAND ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE IN MINNESOTA. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS SENT 21,000 TEXT MESSAGES, OVER 126,000 EMAILS, CALLED 1,000 SUPPORTERS, AND SECURED OVER 4,000 EMAILS TO LEGISLATORS FROM MINNESOTANS. STAFF IN MINNESOTA HELD VARIOUS LOBBY DAYS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. PLANNED PARENTHOOD GENERATION ACTION YOUTH CHAPTERS AND TEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINED MEETINGS WITH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSING BILLS THAT WOULD PROTECT AND EXPAND ACCESS TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE.OUR SEVEN PLANNED PARENTHOOD GENERATION ACTION YOUTH CHAPTERS BASED IN MINNESOTA CONDUCTED DOZENS OF EVENTS ON THEIR CAMPUSES AND ORGANIZED THEIR PEERS TO TAKE ACTION TO SECURE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN OUR STATE. CAMPUS CLUBS PARTICIPATED IN CARE KIT MAKING, SUBMITTED OP-EDS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO LOCAL PUBLICATIONS, ASSISTED IN PROVIDING MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS ON THEIR CAMPUSES, AND REGISTERED 250 NEW VOTERS. ONE YOUTH MEMBER APPLIED FOR AND WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE NATIONAL STUDENT LEADERSHIP COHORT DEDICATED TO MENTORING YOUNG LEADERS OF COLOR ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ADVOCACY. OUR ANNUAL PATH TO POWER SUMMER INTERNSHIP WELCOMED NINE STUDENTS WHO LEARNED THE FUNDAMENTALS OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING AND APPLIED THEM THROUGH ORGANIZING AND ADVOCACY PROJECTS. INTERNS ASSISTED IN VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND EVENTS AND MOBILIZED SUPPORTERS TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, THROUGH CANVASSES, PHONE BANKS AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. OUR TWO PLANNED PARENTHOOD GENERATION ACTION YOUTH CHAPTERS BASED IN SOUTH DAKOTA CONDUCTED DOZENS OF EVENTS ON THEIR CAMPUSES TO EDUCATE THEIR PEERS ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH TOPICS. STUDENTS WORKED TO DESTIGMATIZE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ON CAMPUS AND ENCOURAGED A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS. STAFF IN NORTH DAKOTA ENDORSED LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES FOR THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND STATE SENATE. STAFF SENT MAILERS, EMAILS, AND MADE CALLS TO SUPPORTERS IN TARGETED DISTRICTS IN SUPPORT OF OUR CANDIDATES.