• Develop a local speaker list and hold public forums to raise poverty issues in your community.
• Request time on agendas of local groups - labour, church, hospitals, school boards, universities, coalitions, chamber of commerce, business associations, etc...
• Form a coalition in your community of groups that want to work on these issues. Get the whole coalition to sponsor public events and lobby politicians.
• Bring together people affected by poverty and people who seriously want to learn what poverty means to people`s lives.
• Collect stories from individuals who may prefer to remain anonymous about the real impacts of living in poverty.

Spread the word

• Identify sympathetic journalists, newspapers and magazines and keep them informed of your issues and activities.
• Submit regular articles for opinion editorials or column consideration.
• Hold community contests for creative slogans, posters, bumper stickers, etc.
• Use public places for display of materials, pictures, bill-boards, posters, statistical information, etc.

Include the cultural community

• Approach local artists, musicians, playwrights, etc. to take up the cause.

Develop an information network

• Set up a local base with phone, fax and/or e-mail capabilities so that local volunteers can help and approach local churches, unions, colleges, etc. to help facilitate this.

Write a newsletter

• Use or create local newsletters/community newspapers to document local activities and information, for example it could relate to the rights of the poor.

Meet the politicians

• Request meetings with your local municipal/town council, as well as MPs and MLAs or MPPs to discuss your concerns about poverty. Tell them poor people`s groups should be part of any discussion about the future of social programs. Stay in contact with the politicians` staff on a regular basis to ask about any progress being made.
• When approached to assist recipients in crisis, phone and ask your M.P. what you should advise.