We’re A Lean Machine But We
Need 100 New Sustainers This Week. Can We Do It?

All progressive political organizations spend time sending a whole lot of e-mails asking supporters for donations. Most do not have the backing of big-dollar donors and millionaire contributors.

PDA certainly doesn’t.  In fact we rely mainly on you. Our sustainer program keeps the PDA boat afloat and charging full steam ahead. With a steady income stream we can better budget our limited resources. Right now, only a very small percent of our membership are part of our Change Makes Change monthly giving program. We need more sustainers right now.

Since the 2016 election we have ramped up our resistance to bad policies, bad nominees, and bad candidates across the country (there are so many!). We are promoting progressive legislation and candidates with energy and determination. PDA cannot continue to do the work that is required of us–what history is demanding of us–in this political climate verses the destructive Trump-Pence regime with the current amount of funds we receive.

All progressive groups out there, many of which we work with on a regular basis, do a great job. Now, I know we’re a little biased toward PDA, but we provide the most “political bang for your donation buck.” PDA has just 11 paid staffers and 8 of those are on small or part-time stipends. We are a very lean but effective political force. Our highest paid staffer is salaried at less than $35,000.

Kimberly Buchan, our Administrative Coordinator, could get a lot more working for some other organization, but simply put, Kimberly is dedicated to PDA. All of our staff is dedicated to the PDA mission of making long-lasting, real, progressive political change.

Let us introduce a few other PDA staffers who keep this organization sailing strong against the right-wing head winds we face day in and day out: 

Mike Fox lives in St Petersburg, Florida, and Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK, once called our Deputy Director a “Force of Nature.”  Mike works tirelessly on the phones, coordinates our national Phone Team and fundraising efforts, facilitates national calls, and is getting geared up for 2018 elections where the PDA team will certainly make a difference in close races. Mike is active in the Florida Democratic Party and is the Florida state coordinator for PDA.

50 new monthly sustainers would help Mike and PDA hire a full-time national phone bank coordinator in time for the 2018 election cycle.

Judy Hess lives in Fresno, California.  As Associate Director, Field Operations Judy personally oversees development of PDA Chapters in 25 states, as well as the development for the country as a whole. In her spare time she is also VP of the PDA Board, and CA State Co-Coordinator.

30 new sustainers would enable Judy to hire a part-time field organizer to help develop some more chapters.

Mike Hersh lives in Wheaton, Maryland,  As our National Communication Director, Mike is a longtime PDA fixture on Capitol Hill. He spends hours each day writing, editing and producing many of PDA’s e-mail blasts and press releases. Besides his work at the Capitol with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and other elected officials, he is a PDA chapter leader in Maryland.

Could Mike use help commuting to and working in Washington, DC? 20 new sustainers  would certainly make a difference.

Make your commitment today to PDA as a Change Makes Change monthly sustainer. While we have a couple of angel supporters who do $250 per month, the vast majority of our support comes in $5, $10, $20, or $50 increments.  Whatever is good for you is good for us, and greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much or anything you can do, today.

In solidarity,

Dan O’Neal and Deb Schrishuhn for Donna, Mike F, Judy, Mike H, Kimberly, Dr Bill, Deb, Amos, Janis, and Bryan—your PDA National Staff