How to Get Involved

Become a Key Contact
Join the AAFP Advocacy Action Team
Donate to FamMedPAC
Volunteer on Political Campaigns
Host an Event

Become a Key Contact

As a Key Contact, you communicate with a Senator or Representative from your state or district and educate him/her on issues important to you and your patients. This kit contains the tools you need to develop and maintain this relationship. Our goal is to match each member of the House and Senate with an AAFP Key Contact.

Activities of a Key Contact:

Know legislators’ background, issue priorities, and committee assignments
Build a relationship with the legislator and his or her staff; meet with them in the district office and/or Washington, D.C.
Respond to Action Alerts from the AAFP by contacting the legislator

How to become a Key Contact:

Sign up online.
Send an email to speakout@aafp.org.

Join the AAFP Advocacy Action Team

If you’re pressed for time, this is a flexible way to strengthen the voice of family medicine in Washington. You can do as little or as much as you can. Join other family physicians writing and calling legislators on timely health care issues. Receive AAFP updates, action alerts, and grassroots information that will develop your advocacy skills.

How to join the Team:

Donate to FamMedPAC

The Academy’s political action committee, FamMedPAC pools voluntary donations from AAFP members to make contributions to Congressional candidates. FamMedPAC helps elect legislators who support our issues, ensuring that the concerns of family medicine are considered when health care legislation is drafted. It is the only political organization that promotes family medicine.

Benefits of FamMedPAC:

Strengthens family physicians’ political presence in Washington, D.C.
Helps the AAFP attain a new level of advocacy
Puts the AAFP at the table when health care decisions are made

How to donate to FamMedPAC:

Visit www.fammedpac.org.

Volunteer on Political Campaigns

Make a campaign contribution. This is an effective and simple way to develop a relationship with your legislator. You can donate directly to the campaign via your candidate’s web site.
Volunteer your time — and it doesn’t need to be much. Contact the local campaign office, let them know you are a family physician and would like help out. Depending on your interest, you may simply put a sign in your yard or spend a few hours phone-banking. (For information on local elections, visit Speak Out.)

Host an Event

Hosting a coffee or fundraiser is a one-time, fun way to get involved.

How to host an event:

Contact the candidate, campaign manager, or scheduler and let them know of your interest in hosting an event. Coordinate a time and location with campaign staff.
Recruit a steering committee to help plan and execute the event.
Compile an invitation list, then print and send invitations. Be sure to invite past contributors, family physicians, and friends and neighbors. Ask the campaign if they have a targeted list.
During the event, the candidate should meet all attendees. He or she should speak to the group for approximately 10 minutes about halfway through the event.
Remember to designate someone to collect checks and hand-out campaign literature. (Make sure no one contributes more than the $2,000 legal limit to a federal candidate’s campaign.)
After the event, simply send the checks to the campaign treasurer, along with thank-you notes to the candidate, your steering committee and volunteers. Be sure to send an event summary to AAFP Government Relations at capitol@aafp.org.