One voice is a start. Many voices bring change.
Here is how this actually works: One constituent reaching out matters, but many constituents from the same state, saying the same thing, matters far more. Legislators pay attention to the people they represent, so the most useful thing you can do this weekend is help this base grow.
Today, we challenge you to bring someone with you. Tag or invite one person to advocate alongside you this FASD Awareness Day. It could be a parent, a family member, or an adult with an FASD whose voice Congress needs to hear directly. Ask a friend, a teacher, or a neighbor who has seen what you carry and would stand with you if you asked.
You do not need them to become an expert overnight. You just need them in this with you, so that when you ask Congress to Fund FASD, you have a community behind you.
Use this message to invite someone in one minute:
“Hi [name]. This September brings the first FASD Awareness Day since the FASD Respect Act became law through the SUPPORT Act reauthorization, a law that could change things for families like [mine], but only if Congress funds the programs it authorized. I have joined a 9-day campaign that ends with a call to our legislators on 9/9, asking them to fund FASD. I would love for you to do it with me. It takes a few minutes, and your voice as a constituent genuinely counts. Can I count you in? [link to 9 Day 9 Ways]”
And once they are in, give them something to send. Here is a short email a brand-new advocate can use to introduce themselves to their legislators today:
Subject: A constituent asking you to fund FASD
Dear [Senator / Representative name],
My name is [name] and I am a constituent in [town, state]. I am reaching out during FASD Awareness Month because [I love someone with an FASD / I have an FASD] and our family knows firsthand how few supports exist.
Congress authorized real help when the FASD Respect Act became law through the SUPPORT Act reauthorization of 2025: research, diagnostic capacity closer to families, and training for the professionals who make decisions about our lives. But authorization is not funding. I am asking you to support appropriations for those FASD programs, so the promise Congress already made becomes real.
I would welcome the chance to share our story with your office. May I request a virtual meeting?
Thank you, [name] [contact info]
#FASDAM2026
Take a look below for a sneak peek at what we have planned through September 9!
- 9/6, Growth. Invite one person to advocate alongside you.
- 9/7, Close the Gap. Connect your experience to what funding would actually change.
- 9/8, Practice. Get call-ready with your script and your numbers in hand.
- 9/9, Make the Call. Ask your legislators to fund the law they already passed.