CAPITAL FRATERNAL CAUCUS LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE TOOLS FOR LOBBYING CONGRESS July 7, 2008, Gainesville, FL –Capital Fraternal Caucus, in partnership with the Group Interactive Network (G.I.N.) System, has released a new website (www.fraternalcaucus.org) and Facebook application designed to reach members and advocates of fraternal organizations with innovative tools for supporting Greek-related legislation. Users can visit the new website or add the Facebook application (www.cfcfacebook.com) to learn about important legislation and sign supporting petitions in just a few steps. Signed petitions include each user’s contact information and personal comments, along with a picture and electronic signature. Petitions are issue-specific and targeted to the user’s representatives. Congressmen and staff members can login to the application to view petitions from their constituents. "We are always looking for ways to expand our grassroots network," said Peter Smithhisler, President & CEO of the North-American Interfraternity Conference. "We know that the more individual constituent contacts a Senator or Representative receives about a specific legislative matter the more likely he or she is to look into that issue and take a position. In our case, more contacts equal chances to educate Congress about fraternity and sorority needs and that has been leading to more co-sponsors for our legislation. This application makes it easy and convenient for fraternity and sorority students and alumnae to support important bills, and allows us to reach more people. We will soon be delivering petitions with pictures of real constituents and their personal notes--instead of handing a Congressman 200 copies of form letters that they may not get read. We are thrilled to have these new tools available and appreciate the G.I.N. System's leadership in making this type of program available for us." The Capital Fraternal Caucus’ main focus is currently The Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, which would allow tax-deductible charitable contributions given to educational foundations (such as the national foundations for fraternities and sororities) to be used for improvements to housing owned and operated for the benefit of college students. The bill would make it substantially easier to raise the money needed to install critical improvements, expand housing capacity, and otherwise modernize student housing. CFC has been conducting a grassroots letter-writing campaign in support of the bill. “As an undergraduate, I participated in the Congressional Hill visits, and the experience was extremely rewarding,” said Gabby Leon, Vice President of Customer Relations for the GIN System. “Like others in our office, I also lived in my chapter house, so these issues are important to me and to the rest of our team. All of us at G.I.N. are very excited to support the Capital Fraternal Caucus through the development of this Facebook application and new website. G.I.N. fully designed, developed, funded, and built the Facebook Application and the new website. About Capital Fraternal Caucus Founded in the summer of 2002, the group began as a way to develop and maintain a Greek presence in DC. The CFC includes organizations that comprise the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) and the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC). The CFC maintains information about legislative initiatives in Congress that affect Greek life. About the G.I.N. System The G.I.N. System provides comprehensive communications solutions for over 100,000 members of Greek organizations, graduate schools, social organizations and other membership groups. G.I.N. creates stimulating external websites, innovative members-only intranets, robust communication tools for headquarters staff members, and Facebook applications that change the way that Greek organizations communicate and connect. Visit www.theginsystem.com for more information. Contact: Lynn Chapman Group Interactive Network (GIN) System 230 NW 2nd Avenue Gainesville, FL 32601 Phone: (888) GIN SYSTEM, ext 301
[email protected] www.theginsystem.com
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