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Engage Your Elected Officials

Talking Points to Contact Your Elected Officials

Your voice matters to the policymakers who represent you. Believe it or not, calling them is one of the most effective ways to be heard.

  • Find your Members of Congress and state policymakers using ZERO TO THREE’s Find Your Elected Officials Tool.
  • Mention that you’re a constituent and note the town or city where you live. Offices prioritize calls from the people they represent.
  • Ask to speak to the staffer in charge of early childhood issues. You may not get them or the office may have limited staff, but you can always ask the person you do speak with to pass the information along.
  • Leave a message if you get a voicemail. Offices regularly listen to voicemails. To increase the chances that you will speak with someone, call during regular business hours.

Use the key messages to guide your conversation. Introduce facts about baby brain development and why they must Think Babies.

Share why it’s important to you – personally or professionally – that your policymakers Think Babies. Offer yourself as a resource and share your areas of expertise.

  • Be a storyteller. Share an example of why it’s important to invest in the early years, such as a program that has benefited families you work with or a program that has helped your family. A real-world example can drive home why it’s so critical to continue to support families.
  • Ask to meet with the staff member in person or invite them and the legislator to visit your program.
  • Remember that you’re having a conversation! Ask questions – about the issues, but also about the personal connection the staff or legislator may have with issues affecting families and babies.

If you’re reaching out by email, use the sample email below to get started. Make sure to personalize your story and put a face to the challenges families face and the benefits of supportive policies.

Sample Email to Member of Congress or other Elected Officials

Senator/Representative [INSERT LAST NAME] –

I’m writing to you on behalf of babies and parents in [YOUR STATE/DISTRICT].

The first three years of a baby’s life shape all the rest. During this time, our brains grow faster than at any later point in our lives, forming more than one million new neural connections every second.

When babies have nurturing relationships, early learning experiences, and good health and nutrition, those neural connections are stimulated and strengthened, laying a strong foundation for the rest of their lives. Yet opportunities to grow and flourish are not shared equally by all infants, toddlers, and families, reflecting past and present systemic racism and barriers to critical resources. If our nation is to thrive, we must ensure that every baby has what they need to reach their full potential.

That’s why we must Think Babies™ and ensure all babies and toddlers have good health, strong families, and positive early learning experiences.

Every day, you make decisions that impact the lives of babies in our [COMMUNITY/STATE]. We need to support and pass policies that lay a strong foundation for the future by investing in strong, healthy development for babies. I urge you to Think Babies and invest in the following policy areas:

  • Child Care;
  • Paid Leave;
  • Early Head Start;
  • Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH);
  • Economic Security; and
  • Family Support.

These are the ingredients to give babies enriching early experiences, promote healthy brain development from the start, and create a better future for our nation.

As your constituent, I am asking for your commitment to fight for those who so often can’t fight for themselves. Our future literally depends on it.

Thank you – and I look forward to hearing from you,

[NAME]