Mark your calendars now and join The Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) at the for the 2011 Coalition Popcorn Rally and Advocacy Day at the NC General Assembly on May 22nd from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. The Autism Society of North Carolina is a long time member of The Coalition, a group of 40 statewide organizations advocating on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities, mental health issues, and the disease of addiction. Telling legislators our stories is our most powerful advocacy tool. Join us in making the concerns and presence of the autism community known to each NC State Senator and Representative.
Registration will begin at 8:30 Am and continue throughout the day on the back portico of the Legislative Building, located at 16 W. Jones Street. During the morning hours Coalition volunteers, including ASNC’s Director of Government Relations Jennifer Mahan will be providing brief training on making the most of your Legislative visits and current issues impacting people with disabilities. There will be opportunities to listen in on Legislative Committee meetings and Legislative session throughout the day and The Coalition will be handing out popcorn starting at 11AM, with the Rally starting at Noon. If you plan to addend, we encourage you to make an appointment with your Legislators for May 22 as soon as possible. You can reach your NC state Legislator by calling the General Assembly switchboard at 919-733-7928 and you can find out who represents you via the General Assembly website.
ASNC would love to know that you are attending to we can assist you with talking points related to autism spectrum disorder and any questions you might have. Though registration is not required, please contact Jennifer Mahan at ASNC at jmahan@autismsociety-nc.org or call 919-865-5068 to sign up for our special ASNC Coalition Rally emailing list or for additional information.
[For those attending, a map of the Legislative Buildings and local parking can be found here. Please note that there is a new parking lot located at Edenton and McDowell Streets, near the old Education building and attached to the “green” building with the giant globe. Parking in downtown lots is NOT free. The Legislative buildings have several snack bars and a cafeteria and nearby Fayetteville street has a number of restaurants. ]
Tags: autism advocacy, autism legislation, budget, legislation, managed care, medicaid, NC CAP MR/DD waiver changes, special education advocacy