Congress returning to Washington D.C; Join us for the send-off Sept. 1!

Next week, members of the U.S. Congress are expected to return to Washington, D.C., where they will continue their work on healthcare reform and many other issues.

Just to ensure they don't forget about their constituents' support for meaningful healthcare reform, Volunteers For Change-Fresno and a number of other organizations will be hosting a Congressional Send-Off demonstration, scheduled 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, at the Amtrak station in downtown Fresno.

While there is no indication any of our Representatives or Senators will actually attend, the intent is to hold a live, positive demonstration reminding our representatives that we support meaningful healthcare reform with a strong public option. As such, participants are invited to bring signs, chants and energy to devote to this effort. We've also invited the media to cover us live during the 5 p.m. news hour, so please feel free to wear your Obama flair and gear. The more we have, the merrier we'll be. And prepare to be videotaped.

The tone of this event is to be supportive and positive about healthcare reform, not to be negative about the positions of any of our representatives. So please, leave the Lipton, the 'Blue Dog bones' and any other such negative reinforcement at home.

Want to attend? RSVP on Organizing For America's sign-up page. We hope to see you Tuesday!

President Obama's weekly address: Myths and morality in healthcare reform

From our friends at Whitehouse.gov:

In his weekly address, President Obama debunks the myths around health insurance reform, and discusses the public option proposal in which many of them are rooted -- but he focuses his address on the stark moral and historical turning point at which we find ourselves.

"This is our chance to march forward. I cannot promise you that the reforms we seek will be perfect or make a difference overnight. But I can promise you this: if we pass health insurance reform, we will look back many years from now and say, this was the moment we summoned what’s best in each of us to make life better for all of us. This was the moment we built a health care system worthy of the nation and the people we love. This was the moment we earned our place alongside the greatest generations. And that is what our generation of Americans is called to do right now."

If the viewscreen above is not visible, you can view President Obama's weekly address on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ityPz0IML1Y.

Food bank still 50 volunteers short for emergency food distribution Tuesday in Mendota

This just arrived from our friend Wes Dodd at Hands On CenCal:

We need a lot of help in Mendota this Tuesday, Aug. 25. We are at least 50 volunteers short for the afternoon shift from 1-6. If we continue to struggle we will have to shut down the distribution for the afternoon and would have to turn away a lot more than 500 families.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Folks can volunteer by calling Hands On Central California at 559-237-3101, or by sending an e-mail message to vols4disaster@handsoncentralcal.org.

Thanks again, V4CF, for your help in getting out the message during this difficult time.