In many offices—ours is no exception—you find posters on the wall with inspirational messages. But one poster carries a message that epitomizes Georgia PIRG. The poster shows a picture of the front door of someone’s home. The words “Democracy Happens Here” are printed on it. Underneath the door is the tagline: “Grassroots action, one citizen at a time.”

That’s how we are protecting Georgia’s environment, consumers and democracy. And it’s how we are building Georgia PIRG. We’ve gotten thousands of Georgia citizens like you to take political action by simply having a conversation.

Every summer, we send dozens of canvassers to walk mile after mile of concrete sidewalks, knocking on doors. Rain or shine, through heat and humidity, our canvassers come to educate you about a critical public interest issue, encourage you to take an action, and ask you to support Georgia PIRG.

There’s little doubt our canvassers and canvass directors could find other jobs with fewer hours and higher pay. But instead, they’ve chosen to talk to citizens about critical issues regarding Georgia’s environment and public health.

Why?

“How can I not?” responds Alice DeHeus. “We’re facing unprecedented challenges to our environment. It’s critical that we educate citizens about these threats and encourage them to take action.”

Alice, a native of Chattanooga, TN, is our lead field manager and has been part of our citizen outreach office for more than eight months. When she’s not out canvassing herself, she’s helping oversee a staff of up to 25 canvassers, mostly college students. All told, Alice expects our office to knock on at least 70,000 doors this summer, spreading the news about Georgia PIRG’s work to protect our environment and consumers.

I cannot express how much I appreciate the work Alice and others perform for Georgia PIRG. I encourage you to talk with them if they come to your door this summer. They are critical to achieving success.

Jill Johnson
Advocate