RENO — Two leaders in the local grassroots organization Acting Together in Organizing Northern Nevada (ACTIONN) attended the PICO National Network Summit on Faith and Families in Washington DC in early December. Rev. Neal Anderson, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada and the President of the Board of Directors of ACTIONN, and Melanie Lopez, a leader from the Unitarian Universalist and a staff member of ACTIONN, joined faith and community leaders from 11 states who discussed the current political stalemate on Medicaid, Medicare and taxes. Leaders also met with the White House and the offices of nearly 50 members of Congress. Rev. Anderson and Lopez met with staff from Sen. Reid’s and Congressman Heller’s office and with Congressman Amodei.

“We urged Reid, Heller and Amodei to stand with families, end the tax cuts for the nation’s wealthiest 2 percent, and protect Medicaid and Medicare. We also told them about ACTIONN’s campaign to convene a Task Force on Health Care Jobs of the Future and they were eager to assist us with convening this group,” Rev. Anderson said.

“I was so inspired to be in Washington DC meeting with our elected officials,” Lopez said. “It is exciting to know that we can make a difference and every voice can be heard. This is the true meaning of democracy.”

ACTIONN organizer George Hardaway was in Washington DC the week prior representing ACTIONN at a national “bootcamp” training for new community organizers with 45 other organizers from around the United States. All these new organizers had been involved in civic engagement campaigns around the United States this summer and fall, contributing to the successful non-partisan registering of hundreds of thousands of new voters and a massive get out the vote campaign that involved phone banks and door to door knocking.

“I was humbled to be in the presence of so many really smart, engaged new organizers. The learnings were terrific but the inspiration was even better. This training confirmed for me that I am doing God’s work through ACTIONN,” reported Hardaway.

The public is encouraged to visit www.actionn.org for more information. ACTIONN is a member of the PICO (People in Community Organizing) National Network, which has been doing faith based community organizing for 40 years, nationally and internationally.