>________________________________________________

>The message below is posted on behalf of VALUE, Inc. It is

>available in .pdf for printing and distribution in hard copy from

>http://home.comcast.net/~djrosen/registration.pdf

>

>VALUE, Inc.

>Voice for Adult Literacy United for Education

>2217 Providence Ave., 2nd Floor

>Chester, PA 19013

>610-876-7625 (tel.)  610-876-1996 (fax)

>http://www.valueusa.org

>office at valueusa.org

>

>August 12, 2004

>

>Dear Colleague,

>

>VALUE, the national adult learner leadership organization, urges adult

>education programs across the country to set aside September 8th

>through October 8th for civics and voter registration activities in

>preparation for the November election. This is a non-partisan effort to

>show that adult learners have a desire and a need to vote and do vote.

>

>We are asking administrators and teachers to include in their lesson

>plans, topics on election education from September 8th to October 8th.

>This is to help adult learners to understand why voting is important in

>a democracy, and to gain information on how to register to vote and the

>voting procedures in their area. We, at VALUE, Inc are not experts on

>the voting procedures, but we can guide you to a source that can

>provide you with all the information you need.

>

>Please read the March 2004 issue of "The Change Agent" at

>

>                                         http://www.nelrc.org/Vera/index.htm

>

>It will provide you with important information about how to register to

>vote. Learners and practitioners who are U.S. citizens can print a form

>to register to vote or request one to be mailed to them by clicking on

>the blue box near the bottom of the web page reading, "Your vote

>matters". They will need to mail in the completed registration form 2-4

>weeks before the election, but this varies depending on your state. You

>will also find in "The Change Agent" web links to useful resources and

>helpful voter education activities.

>

>In addition, the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) has

>developed a toolkit on election activities for 501(c)(3) organizations.

>It describes the types of election-related activities in which

>nonprofit charities can engage. In addition to describing the do's and

>don'ts, it provides samples and other materials to help charities

>engage in permissible activities during this election cycle. The

>website is

>

>                                         http://www.ncna.org

>

>If you click on Election 2004 Information, this will take you to the

>NCNA election toolkit.

>

>Please help us with this effort! It's very important to adult learners

>to show that we care about what happens to our families, to our

>neighborhoods, and to our country. If your program plans to

>participate, and we hope you will, please e-mail our colleague, David

>Rosen, at djrosen at comcast.net. Let him know your name, the name of your

>program, your town/state,  briefly  describe what voter education or

>registration activities you plan. David has agreed to provide updates

>on program activities to the AAACE-NLA electronic list.

>

>

>Thanks for your help and support!

>

>

>Marty Finsterbusch

>Executive Director

>VALUE, Inc.