Dear friend,

We want to take a moment to thank all of you who took action yesterday and contacted your senators, to ensure that our priorities were included in
negotiations of the $2 trillion stimulus package expected to be signed into law
in the next 24 hours. We were in close contact with the senators and staff
negotiating this agreement, but despite all our efforts, all our priorities were
not included in the final package. Though the bill is not perfect, it was
improved and strengthened through the extensive negotiation process and includes
concrete support that low-income and working families will need during this
pandemic.

This is not expected to be the last stimulus package in response to the
coronavirus, and we will be working tirelessly to ensure that all our concerns
are included in the future negotiations. Indeed, this is not the end of our work — it is only the beginning.
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We must remember that this time of quarantine and coronavirus is a marathon, not
a sprint. It is a long and hard road, but no matter what happens, we will keep
our focus on those most impacted by this public health and economic crisis. And
as always, the people most at risk are those who have consistently and
purposefully been marginalized the most in this country, the very people who we
are called by Christ to care most for: the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the
poor, and the immigrant.

We are already working on our strategy to convey our priorities to lawmakers and
the White House over the next weeks, and in order to do that, we will need your commitment and support.
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Sustain our work for the long haul.

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Your gift to Sojourners is crucial to sustaining our response to this crisis
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* This crisis is, first and foremost, a public health crisis. So far, the federal government’s response has been slow and
inadequate. We need a more robust and coordinated response that gives support
to frontline health workers, invests in infrastructure and equipment, and
ensures that all people — especially those with underlying health conditions
and those without health insurance — have access to free testing and
treatment.

* This crisis has had a major impact on our economy and, more importantly, the financial security and health of millions of
Americans. The president has made it clear that he has more concern for the
health of the economy and businesses than he does for the physical health of
people. We believe that the government’s economic response must be focused on
those who are most at financial risk. This includes low-income families and
workers without benefits, sick and family leave, and job security. Ensuring
that all Americans, regardless of income level, have the security and support
they require to provide basic needs for themselves and their families is
critical at this time. Ensuring that corporations have the necessary
financial support to protect their employees is also critical, and the final
version of this bill gives clear and direct oversight to any corporate
funding, to ensure that it doesn’t just seek to privatize profits and
socialize losses.

* This crisis has forced us to reconsider all our previously overlooked
practices, including our elections . The nature of this crisis will inevitably impact our ability to hold our
elections as we have in the past. Voter protection and engagement has always
been a deep concern for us at Sojourners, and we are reimagining that work,
to ensure the necessary funding and planning for implementing new election
practices, and ensure that all eligible voters are able to exercise their
right to vote, even in the midst of this health crisis. That funding and
planning is needed now — not months from now — to ensure that we are able to implement needed
changes. We must push for these provisions at both the state and federal
level, to guarantee that our elections take place in a way that maximizes the
ability of all to vote safely and easily. In particular, we are working to
ensure that all states are able and equipped to conduct voting by mail.

As all crises do, this one has illuminated and exacerbated the injustices and
inequalities that exist in our country and world. And Sojourners is committed to
focusing our work on marginalized communities like immigrants and refugees,
incarcerated people, survivors of sexual and domestic violence, and frontline
communities impacted by climate change. In doing so, this crisis becomes a moment — even an opportunity — to deepen our commitment
to this necessary and critical work.
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This work won’t be easy, but we are committed to doing it, and we invite you to
commit as well and invest alongside us. We can’t do this work without you. Please take advantage of this opportunity and give today.
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In solidarity,



Adam Taylor and Jim Wallis, Sojourners



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