Introduction
As Key Clubbers, we are all very familiar with fundraising
and hands-on service. However, there is
another aspect of leadership that is just as important – advocacy.
Advocacy is the act of supporting a cause you believe in. By advocating for these causes, you are helping to shape the future of our world by bettering people’s lives and building stronger communities.
Advocacy has 3 parts – participation, promotion, and report. First, you need to actively participate by sending letters and directly communicating to statesmen and business-owners and anyone else who is in a position to make that difference. Then, you need to spread the word of this cause by telling your friends, parents, teachers, and members of your community by holding projects to promote this cause. Last, you need to report your success to the District (please see “How to Record Advocacy” below).
Over this Key Club year, the New York District Advocacy Committee is dedicated to assist you in advocacy. Every so often, we will release a new Advocacy packet outlining a new cause. It will include an introduction of the cause as well as sample letters for you to send. Then, it is your responsibility to make the ultimate difference and plan projects to promote this cause to your community.
You do not need to only participate in advocacy projects the District provides for you. If you would like to advocate about local causes or causes we did not cover, you are more than welcome to participate.
If you have any questions, Advocacy Committee Chairperson Lauren Surowiec ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) will be happy to help you. This year, we have an advocacy goal of 4,500 points (please see “How to Record Advocacy” below for points explanation).
Good luck!
Download the "Introduction to Advocacy" Packet
New York District Advocacy Causes
Last Updated, 19 July 2009
How to Record Advocacy
For Members
You have 2 options. Once you finish signing a letter or petition either online or by mail, you may either 1.) report it to your club secretary or 2.) report it to the District Secretary by email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). If you are reporting it to the District Secretary, please include your name, school, and division.
If you were a part of a project you or your club organized, do not report it directly to the District Secretary, but instead, your club secretary should be reporting that on his/her Monthly Report Form (MRF).
For Club Secretaries
When your Key Clubbers let you know that they’ve signed letters or petitions, please record that number on the Monthly Report Forms for that month. If your club had passed around letters to be signed and sent, then you should report the total number of signatures on that month’s Monthly Report Form as well.
When your club hosts an advocacy project, make sure you report that correctly on the MRF.
Here is how you record for advocacy:
1 Signature on Letter
or Petition = 1 Point
1 Hour of Advocacy Project = 5 Points
