Our regular office hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Our address is 2345 14th Ave., Suite 7, Downtown Vero Beach.
Newsletter Highlights
We have a school board candidate who needs petitions signed to get on the ballot and a campaign team, learn how to help in the School Board Candidate section
Find out how you can help those in Ukraine in the Ukraine section
Canned food items are needed for United Against Poverty. See the Local section for more details.
School Board Candidate
Everyone always says we don’t have candidates running for office in Indian River County. Well, now we do and she needs our help!
Cindy Gibbs is running for Jackie Rosario’s seat on the school board but first, she has to get on the ballot. Please sign her petition (which you can access here: https://adobe.ly/33eLpve) and drop it off at the Democratic Headquarters OR you can also stop by the office and sign a petition and grab some to share with your friends!
Also, there are numerous shifts that need to be filled at local events to get her petitions signed. Sign up here for a shift this weekend!
Database Management – enter petition signers into a database for Cindy to follow up with once she is on the ballot.
Fundraising – Cindy needs to raise money and is looking for someone who can help her do that. Also, please consider hosting a house party for Cindy and inviting your friends.
You can learn more about Cindy, sign up for her newsletter, and make a donation at https://gibbs4schools.com/
UKRAINE
Below is a list of resources from a friend of Stacey Klim’s who is from Ukraine and living in the U.S.
If you feel compelled to do something, below is a compiled list of organizations that can use our financial help, today. I’ve tried my best to vet them. I selected organizations that work on the ground, that have been in existence for a while and have an established infrastructure. Most have been doing this work since 2014 when the conflict in eastern Ukraine first started.
If the link directs you to a Ukrainian version, there is usually an option to change to English, or use Google translation.
If you are not able to give, I thank you for your moral support. Please continue supporting the sanctions and pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia. It is the darkest hour for the Russian people as well. 💙💛
**Organizations on the ground:**
1. “Hospitallers" (Госпітальєри) is a volunteer-based medical battalion operating on the front lines in Ukraine, providing first aid to wounded soldiers and civilians and equipping paramedics. It has been operating in eastern Ukraine since 2014.
Donation instructions, including Western Union, PayPal and Venmo: https://www.facebook.com/hospitallers/posts/3151434121808141
FB: https://www.facebook.com/hospitallers/
2. Ukrainian Women Veteran Movement (Жіночий ветеранський рух) – NGO focused on the advocacy and protection of the rights of women veterans and servicemen. Currently mobilizing rapid response headquarters to support the war efforts, deploying medical training, distributing first aid kits, making Molotov cocktails, etc.
3. Voices of Children (Голоси дітей) – This charitable foundation offers psychological and psycho-social support to children who have suffered war trauma. The group has been working in various villages and towns along the frontline in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. They are currently providing a crisis hot line and psychological support to parents and children affected by the conflict.
Learn More: https://voices.org.ua/en/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/vocukraine/
4. East SOS (Восток SOS) – NGO started in 2014 as a volunteer civil initiative and a hotline by activists of Luhansk and Crimea. They provide assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs), assist in the evacuation of people from the conflict zone, collect and distribute humanitarian aid. Now coordinating and distributing information on evacuation resources, shelter information and crisis hotline.
Learn More: https://vostok-sos.org/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/vostoksos
5. Come Back Alive (Povernys Zhyvym) - Since 2014 this charity has been providing the military with auxiliary equipment, thermographic cameras, night vision devices, specialized software, drones, personal body protection, training, and other supplies.
Donate: https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/ (Select “help the Ukrainian Army and click TO CONTRIBUTE – this will take you to a CC payment form)
Learn more: https://savelife.in.ua/ (sorry for the limited English translation, this group is legit).
**World/Western Organizations:**
1. UNICEF is a UN agency that provides humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. It had 4 operating offices on both sides of the conflict for the past 8 years, trucking water to conflict-affected areas; delivering health, hygiene and emergency education supplies, providing psycho-social care to children traumatized by the chronic insecurity and working with municipalities to ensure there is immediate help for children and families in need.
Donate: https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/donate-now
Learn more: https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/UNICEFUkraine
2. United Help Ukraine – a US-based 501(c)(3) whose mission is receiving and distributing donations, food and medical supplies to Ukrainian IDPs (internally displaced people) and families of wounded or killed in Ukraine. Currently it’s delivering first aid kits and other emergency supplies to the front lines, according to a Facebook post.
The next DWC Book Group meeting will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 25, 2022. “How To Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X Kendi. If you are not a Book Group member and would like to attend, please contact Rita Milelli at [email protected].
Democratic Club of Indian River
We often hear, "Where are the Democrats"? Please help me in identifying local events that should include the Democrats of Indian River. We are proud to stand up for democracy and we want Indian River County to know it! We need your help. Together, LET'S GET LOUD!
The Dem Club monthly meeting will be in person on Thursday, March 10th at 6 p.m. at the Irish American Society at 1314 20th St., Vero Beach, FL 32960
The election for officers will be held at the Club's next meeting, March 10. Additionally, there will be 3 speakers at the meeting: County Commissioner Laura Moss, Wes Davis from Equality for Florida and Larry Zick will provide a short workshop on writing letters to the editor.
Below is the slate of candidates:
President Wendy McDaniel
Vice president Jadie Barringer
Secretary Caryl Zook
Treasurer (to be determined)
Director Yolonda Anderson
Director Clay Wild
Remaining in office for their terms ending 2023 are Directors Valerie Daly, Fred Grumann and Karen Adelman.
TRAININGS
Voter Registration
Registering voter is key to getting candidates elected. We have one training session left via Zoom. Here is the date and time:
One Year Ago, Marco Rubio Voted Against Tax Cuts, Police Bonuses, And COVID Relief for Floridians
One year ago this week, Marco Rubio voted against the American Rescue Plan, critical COVID relief legislation that helped speed up vaccinations, delivered direct assistance to families to help them make ends meet, and got Florida’s economy back on track.
“If it were up to Marco Rubio, Floridians would have missed out on tax cuts for middle class families, direct relief to help small businesses survive, and bonuses for our local police officers. When our state needed help recovering from COVID, Marco Rubio turned his back on Floridians and put his self-serving political interests ahead of what was best for our state,” said Florida Democratic Party spokesperson Grant Fox.
One year after its passage, ARP funding has gone towards a number of projects and programs that have helped Florida recover from the pandemic. Some of the most important programs Rubio voted against include:
A tax cut for working families benefiting over 3.5 million Florida children
$1,000 pay bonuses for Florida law enforcement officers and first responders
Direct relief for Floridians that helped them pay the bills and make ends meet
Funding to speed up vaccinations and help keep Floridians safe from COVID
Assistance to small businesses to help them reopen
STATE
Send Our Democratic Champions A Word of Encouragement & Thanks
As we enter into the final week of the 2022 legislative session, it is clear that this has been tough legislative for our Democratic Champions. Please send them words of encouragement and thanks as they head into the final days of the session and continue to fight against attacks on our democracy, human rights, and so much more.
Are you signed up for Vote by Mail? Not sure if you are? Want to sign up for vote by mail? Now is the time to check or sign up! The fastest and easiest way to do that is to call the Indian River County Supervisor of Elections office at 772-226-4700.
LOCAL
Supervisor of Elections Announcement
Fellsmere Days
Canned Food Items Needed!
United Against Poverty is running very low on canned food items for their grocery program. If you are able to donate items, you can bring them to the office during our office hours, or you can donate them directly to United Against Poverty.
GYAC Open House
If you haven't had to opportunity to attend the Gifford Youth Achievement Center, here is your chance!
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thanks to Caryl Zook for standing up for Democracy and publicly calling out the Republicans for their poor behavior at Downtown Friday. This was in the TC Palm, Letters to the Editor, on March 8, 2022:
Racial insults, cursing directed toward local group registering voters in Vero Beach
Shameful behavior at Vero Beach Downtown Feb. 25. Adults cursing and shouting racial insults and fake news at local group registering voters and gathering petitions to get candidates on the ballot. The MAGATS continue to proudly display their ignorance and disrespect. Low-class bar behavior is inappropriate at a family event in our community.
Our thanks to the many well-informed, gracious and civilized people who stopped by to wish us well and thank us for our work to preserve our democracy. Vote! It’s our right and responsibility.
